SACO — The crowd cheered and called out Paige Nadeau’s name as the 6-year-old drove the shiny green John Deere tractor down the track. And a hearty round of applause broke out as she finished the tractor pull.
Nadeau was one of many Make A Wish children enjoying the Southern Maine Garden Tractor Club’s sixth annual tractor pull Sunday to benefit Make A Wish, which grants wishes to Maine children diagnosed with life-threatening diseases.
Children at the event got to hop on the tractor of their choice, while younger children used pedal-powered tractors.
“Everyone’s a winner,” said club member and event organizer Ernie Lowell, who lent his property for the event.
A table of trophies gleamed in the sunlight, and Lowell said each participant got to take one home.
“There are no disappointments here, just happy kids,” he said.
It’s a day, he said, for the children to simply have fun, without nurses, doctors, needles or hospitals.
Paige Nadeau and her 8-year-old brother, Colby, both got the chance to ride the tractors. The two have an epileptic disorder called Doose syndrome. Their mother, Amy Nadeau, said her son was especially excited to go because he wasn’t able to go last year, as he had just gotten out of the hospital.
“It’s amazing to see the smiles from ear to ear,” said Lisa Gleeson, communications manager for Make A Wish. “That’s what Make A Wish is all about, helping to bring joy to children when they’re struggling day to day.”
Six-year-old Owen Winslow, of Auburn, who had a brain tumor this past winter, and his two older brothers also took turns behind the wheel of a tractor Sunday.
Their mother, Michelle Winslow, said the boys had been looking forward to the event for weeks.
“They love tractors,” she said.
Other fun activities for young ones included go carts and a monster fire truck ”“ so big that Lowell said the electric wires had to be pushed up with sticks as it drove into his driveway.
There was also a barbecue, as well as silent and live auctions offering a wide range of items, from gift certificates to homemade pies. Proceeds from the auctions and an ice cream sale went to Make A Wish Maine.
— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or [email protected].
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