Have Mower Fun at VFW
Mark your calendar for Saturday, October 23 to attend the VFW Halloween Spook Races
By: Sheryl Sowell | Category: Other | Issue: October 2010
Matt Barnes, Randy Willis and Paul Casey will race in the VFW Halloween Spook Races.
If you’re looking for an outing the entire family will enjoy – mom, dad and the kids – mark your calendar for Saturday, October 23 to attend the VFW Halloween Spook Races at VFW Post 2976, 1717 W. Dupont in Claremore. The event will feature souped-up lawn mowers, a large arts and crafts fair, children’s games, delicious food, a cake walk, a kids’ costume contest and more.
“The mower races began about seven years with two men who owned lawn mower companies, Charlie McCaskey and Bill Golden. One day they made a bet on who had the fastest mower. The idea took off from there, and the races have gotten bigger and better each year,” says Linda Hunter of the Ladies’ Auxiliary.
The races are conducted by pairing two racers at a time, drag-strip style down a grass strip 150 feet in length. Randy Willis, one of the original racers, explains that participants must use a lawn mower engine, but they are allowed to modify it however they choose. “There are two classes of mowers, modified and zero turn radius (ZTR). The racers can modify using turbo chargers and nitrous oxide. We’ve had mowers clock about 50 miles per hour,” says Randy.
A Dynamark ready-to-race mower will be raffled off at the event. Raffle tickets are $1 each or six for $5.
The Dynamark mower that will be raffled off.
Children will have the opportunity to race push mowers with pumpkins balanced on the mowers, and the little ones 5 and under can bring their own plastic mowers to race. The fun day will also offer kids games, a costume contest and a cake walk. The games include the Wheel of Fortune – spin for the chance to win a prize, bean bag races, spider on the spoon races, and sack races. “The kids absolutely love the games and fun. It’s a perfect event for the whole family,” says Linda. The games begin around 1 p.m., and the mower races start at 2. At race half-time, the winner of the kids’ costume contest will be revealed, and Miss Lawn Mower 2010 will be named.
The VFW Craft Fair will take place Saturday, October 23 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, October 24 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. A large variety of arts and crafts will be available: stained glass, candles, candy, purses and more. A snack bar will be open inside, and the Ladies’ Auxiliary will be making Indian tacos. For more information about booth rental, call Linda Hunter at (918) 521-0782.
“We want people to know about the VFW and how active we are in the community,” says Linda. “We’re remodeling, growing and improving.” One of the current changes is the building of a monument paying tribute to a past member of Post 2976, Joe Ronnie Hooper. The bronze statue will honor the man who received the Bronze Star, eight Purple Hearts, and in 1969, the Congressional Medal of Honor. To raise funds for the project, the VFW is hosting a Holiday Gala on December 11, featuring dinner, dancing, live entertainment, and live and silent auctions. Tickets are $25. For more information, call the VFW at (918) 342-5730.
For more information, contact
VFW Post 2976
1717 W. DupontClaremore, OK 74017(918) 342-5730
www.claremorevfw.org
www.myspace.com/okmowerracing
Little ones 5 and under can bring their plastic mowers to race.
About Author Sheryl Sowell
Sheryl Sowell was born and raised in Tulsa, OK. She graduated from Will Rogers High School and received her Bachelor of Arts in English from Northeastern State University in 2007. She has worked for Value News as editor, writer and advertising copywriter since 2008. She enjoys meeting and interviewing people for Value News articles, learning about their backgrounds, and helping to promote their businesses and local events. In her free time, she enjoys reading, trying new recipes and crafts from Pinterest, attending concerts and sporting events, and spending time with family and friends. Sheryl lives in Tulsa with her fiancé Paul, their daughter Scarlett, and their two dogs, Gunner and Boo.
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