WEBVTT
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Though he's not here with us, you know, he's allowing other kids and other families to continue to live and make memories and not be in the hospital and everything like we were all the time.
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I mean it's just one of those things uh given the gift of life, and we always started kind of saying no like anybody's life to live on through others.
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Hello, I'm Brandon Miller.
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The city of Omro has beautiful parks, active organizations, and thriving businesses.
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In partnership with Future Omro, the Amro Area Community Center, and crowd sponsorship by Miller Auto, we'd like to welcome you inside OMRO.
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Today we're just north of AMRO at 4595 County Road F at Redwood Farms, talking about a very important event called Raiden for a reason.
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We're here with the board of directors and Levi's uh parents.
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Uh, why don't you guys go around and introduce yourselves?
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Yeah, so I'm Carson Butke.
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My great-grandpa was one of the founders.
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And last year he died, so I asked Derek if he wanted to take it over because it was such a good thing.
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Yeah, I'm Derek Poltratz, again, one of the directors.
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Um, like Carson said, he reached out.
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Um, he had been working with me at the time, and we just thought what a great opportunity to be able to keep this this event going and kind of um keep Louise and and Bill's and um all Russ's hard work um getting this event going for the last 17 years and wanted to keep it keep it rolling.
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I'm James Crowley.
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Um I'm one of the directors.
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Um Derek reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in helping out.
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Nice.
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And I am Rachel Kruger.
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I am Levi Kruger's mom, so the um family this year that is part of the benefit.
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Wonderful.
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And I'm Craig Kruger, I'm Levi's Dan.
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Do you want to go into the history a little bit more of uh writing for a reason?
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Yeah, so you know, this is our 17th annual, so 17 years ago, someone in the neighborhood their house burnt down, and Louis, Bill, and Russ were all in the fire department, and they all like old tractors.
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They just decided to have a little tractor ride try to try to help that family out.
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And you know, it grew and grew within four years.
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They went from 13 tractors to over 40.
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And there's just always been a local family need last year.
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Just because of the passing of my grandpa, there wasn't really time to find anyone, so all the proceeds went to St.
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Jude's, which was something he donated to out of his own pocket.
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Um, this year we're just excited to help another family again.
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Yeah, absolutely.
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So let's talk about this year's ride a little bit, how it's organized and the rules and so forth.
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Yeah, um, this year, of course, we are hosting Levi's family.
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Um we so kind of the the general outline of the the day that that day.
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Uh tractors come in around nine o'clock, we have registration.
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Um they come in, we um kind of line up, have a have some coffee in the morning while the tractors are coming in, and kind of some camaraderie between people that are have tractors coming in and and just talk to your neighbors uh that morning.
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Then we leave.
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We do have about an 18-mile ride planned um around the neighborhood.
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You probably can't see it in the in the in the camera there, but um a nice ride around the the neighborhood in around Omroe, Poigan, and Rochford.
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Um then we return here to the farm uh and we have a really nice benefit.
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We have a picnic.
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Uh this year we're gonna have smoked pork, uh potatoes, and uh we kind of do a potluck style.
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So if anyone would like to bring uh a dessert or uh a salad to pass, that'd be great.
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Um and then on top of that we have tons of raffle baskets.
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So this year we have uh about 20 raffle baskets planned.
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We're gonna have a couple of really great trips um to Canada actually planned.
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So um some really neat things, and we'd like to get into that a little bit more in a little bit.
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But um yeah, we're really excited to build it host this this year.
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Nice.
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This year, Levi Kriegers family is the recipients of the um or the beneficiaries of the of the event.
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Um do you guys want to talk about uh Levi a little bit and kind of the story behind that?
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Yeah, so um start.
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Okay.
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Uh Levi was diagnosed with a brain tumor at 17 months old.
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Um he was diagnosed after starting to have seizures.
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Um, and after a few trips to the emergency room and trying different meds, um, we were sent down to children's where they said, yep, he's got a mass in his brain, we're not really sure what it is.
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Um essentially come back and we'll do a biopsy.
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So did a biopsy a few weeks later and the day before Thanksgiving, we're told that it was a cancerous brain tumor.
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Um little different in kids and adults, but it was considered low grade.
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So, whereas um adults' brain tumors are oftentimes deadly or not as treatable in pediatrics, they are um a little bit more treatable.
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Um, so at that point, because he was overall doing well, they decided to just treat the seizures.
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Um and so for a year and a half we just chased his seizures and he would have 60 seizures a day, all of a sudden he'd just drop, um, he'd have a cluster, and then he'd just get up and keep going.
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And that was kind of when we learned of Levi's resilience, is because nothing stopped him ever.
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No, um, and so about three years old is when he had his first resection surgery, and so that was really the purpose of that was to take out some of that um tumor that was causing the seizures, and the seizures were or his tumors irritating his brain and causing the seizures.
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So um that gave him a little bit of seizure freedom, um, but overall, long term it wasn't the solution, and so we've ended up kind of per pursuing more surgical options, and so he had had um like an SEEG, which is when they stick, like I think the first time it was 13 probes in his head, and you go back to the floor with those 13 probes screwed into your head, and it monitors your seizure activity to try to pinpoint so they could go in and better um try to tackle that seizure focus.
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Um at that point, he had had another surgery, more seizures, um, but overall was doing well.
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You know, he's always through the whole process, even in the hospital, happy go-lucky, playing with the nurses, giggling, trying to escape, even with the cord attached to the wall.
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Yeah, listening to his Cody Johnson.
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That was his favorite singer.
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Yeah, that was always his big thing, Till You Can't by Cody Johnson was always something that kind of calmed him down in his go-to, his music.
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Yeah, we have some videos of him from writing the ICU when he woke up, and you know, they start getting a little squirrely once that anesthesia starts wearing off, and we had to give him the phone so he could just sing.
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So he's got Lightning McQueen in one hand and the phone in the other with his head all wrapped, just singing to Cody Johnson.
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But um, so yeah, so I mean, by probably the age of six, he had had three surgeries.
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Um, and after that second resection surgery, we got 18 months to the day of seizure freedom, no seizures, he was doing really well, and then the seizures started again.
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And through that time, I mean his tumor was slowly growing, but really overall the tumor part of it was stable, and so we didn't need any sort of chemo, and you know, I think overall we felt pretty blessed that we didn't have to chase it like some people do.
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Some there's a lot of different families that have similar tumors that you know have had to go down many courses of chemo or radiation or things like that.
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So um about the age of six, he had that resection surgery, had the 18 months of seizure freedom, and at that point when he started having seizures again, we kind of felt like we needed to do something different.
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You know, how do we keep putting your kid through just chasing seizure activity?
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Um, and so we started kind of the process of looking at different places that can treat him.
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Um, and kind of over that year, uh children have told us they didn't know of any other besides surgical options of any other treatments.
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Um, and kind of felt like we had just outgrown that team.
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So we ended up reaching out to Saint Jude, and that was probably around he was probably seven, um, started seeing St.
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Jude, and that was such a great experience for us.
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Um, you know, you hear St.
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Jude on the radio, you hear of all the things that they do, but until you're there, I mean, I could have never imagined the care that we've received compared to even, you know, all the commercials and whatnot.
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Um but yeah, so he we were down there for about a year.
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He had had um, you know, just the overseeing of his tumor, and at that point his tumor grew, so they knew that they needed to go do another surgery, and so he had a surgery um to remove his temporal lobe.
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Um and then they noticed that he was also having drop seizures, so seizures where he would just drop with no sort of indication before then.
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Um, and so they decided that he would also need what's called a corpus calosotomy, which is when they go in and literally split the brain in two hemispheres.
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So they disconnect that connection between them to prevent the seizures from going from one side of the brain to the other.
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Um so three weeks after that, right around, let's see, that was right before Christmas, he had his first surgery, and then right after Christmas he had his second surgery um to get rid of that connection.
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And he did really well.
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Um we didn't notice any seizures.
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He bounced right back.
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They'd said they warned us that after the corpus callosotomy, because your brain now has to learn to coordinate both sides of the body independently, whereas before it doesn't that, you know, kids can often be catatonic, they can take weeks.
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Um, sometimes you need inpatient rehab.
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Um, we were out of the hospital in four days, he was walking on his own, had a little bit more pronounced left-sided weakness, which they think is just because the tumor had grown, but he surprised us all like he always does.
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And um, so yeah, so that was in January um of 2024, and then we knew we would need to start treatment.
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So the best course of treatment that they had recommended was a clinical trial.
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Um, the clinical trial was an oral medication that he takes twice a day.
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He needed to start it.
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Um, we started at Valentine's Day of 2024, and it required us to be down at St.
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Jude in Memphis, Tennessee for six weeks.
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Um, the first day you get blood work done, like I think it's every hour, um, to really monitor things and then echoes and stuff like that, too.
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Um make sure heart functions good, you know.
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Yeah.
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Um they had to do a whole bunch of different testing just to make sure that his body could tolerate it, and then as that six weeks progresses, you know, you are still getting monitoring, but it kind of titrates out to um farther in between.
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So after we got to go home at that six weeks mark, we were back every month for different tests and imaging, and then it went to two months, and then it went to four months, and during the first couple rounds, we thought we saw some necrosis, which would be good, tumor death.
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Um, but then like the next imaging would show maybe it wasn't tumor death, maybe it's more activity.
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So kind of went back and forth.
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They never quite knew what was happening, but overall, like the tumor wasn't growing.
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Um, so we completed two years of that in February.
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Um and he did, I mean, phenomenal.
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He didn't really have any side effects, nothing crazy, at least.
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Um, you know, you hear kids on chemo that lose their hair or you know are fatigued or or can't go to school, he was able to do all those things.
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So I think that's like the benefit of going somewhere that does do clinical trials sometimes.
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I mean, as much as it's hard to sign your child up for something that you don't know the side effects of.
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Um, but yeah, I mean, he continued to just have that resilient, happy-go-lucky spirit with a little bit of spice.
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He always kept us on our toes.
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Oh yeah, that's for sure.
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So yeah, we came off in February, had scans, everything looked good.
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And then April of this year, um, we noticed he had a little bit more pronounced left-sided weakness.
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He wasn't sleeping, so we weren't sure if it was just muscle fatigue from not sleeping.
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Ended up taking him to the ER.
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Um at our second ER visit, they were able to do a MRI and noticed that his tumor had grown substantially.
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Um, so we were med-flighted down to Memphis, Tennessee again, where we were taken over by our team down there.
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Um and they were kind of like, well, we're gonna have to develop a plan.
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So we spent one night in the PICU down there, one night on the floor, and they said, He's doing so good, you know, go back to housing and we'll figure out a plan.
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So the plan then was to do surgery to try to remove as much tumor as possible.
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They had always tried to spare his left side.
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He had left-sided weakness, but was able to run, jump, do all the things a normal boy would do.
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Um, but it had come to the point that that's kind of where we were at.
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So we were going to do surgery and then follow up with radiation.
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Um, so he had his surgery and things went really well.
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Um surgeon wasn't sure if he would have any left-sided function because when they put the electrodes in to check for electrical activity, nothing lit up.
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On the typical spot, you would have that um reaction on that motor strip.
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Um we said, okay, that's just what it's gonna be if this is what makes his tour go away.
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Years to kind of like bypass that object.
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Yeah, to spare that.
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Um wanting to keep his left-sided function as long as we could, as long as it was obviously safe to do.
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So we kind of knew going into this one that that might have been this would have probably been the time that he would lose that left-sided function.
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And the surgeon went one more time to just go check on him before kind of signing him over to the team, and he came back a short time later, very giddy, saying he's moving everything.
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So we were kind of waiting everything, everything, the left side, yep, everything.
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So we were allowed to go back there a few minutes later, and Levi, much to all of our surprise, is trying to sit up and get out of bed and roll around with all his lines and tubes.
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And I mean, that was just Levi.
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He just never sat still.
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No.
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Um, so the next day, I mean, just worked on recovery and um got him out of bed.
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We walked around the room, he was doing really well, still pretty tired, but you know, we thought, hey, like if we all had major brain surgery and had had a line-sized amount of tumor and brain removed, we'd all probably want to lay in bed for a while.
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So then that was Friday.
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Friday kind of was uneventful, got moved to the floor from the picule, and then Saturday.
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Um he just kind of seemed more fatigued, and we asked the team and they said, Yeah, you know, give him time.
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We can't expect Levi to be a superhero all the time.
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Um, and then about halfway through the day, we noticed he just was not responding like he normally was.
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Um the team came in, they decided to move him to the ICU, and I mean, rapidly from there, he just declined considerably, ended up on a ventilator because he wasn't breathing on his own, not responding at all.
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Um, and they couldn't figure out why.
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They had done CT scans and blood work, and you know, they're checking all the things, and nothing was really adding up as to what was causing him to be the way he was.
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Um, probably by midnight or so, they'd done a CT scan, and that's when it showed that you know there was considerable brain damage.
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They don't know why.
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Um, but it was kind of a well, let's you know, leave him sedated and we'll see how the next day goes and see what we can do to reduce the sedation and see what what things look like.
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Um and then Sunday morning he was kind of stable after that, and they took him for another CT scan, and that's when it showed um he had lost blood flow from his neck up, so there was no blood flow going to his brain.
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Um and so at that point it was you know something that we weren't gonna come back to.
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By that time, too, we had gotten some test results, and it looks like he had had an infection that just took over his body.
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It's an infection or a germ that we all have in our bodies, probably, and so they don't know why his body just overreacted the way it did and and caused kind of that septic shock and brain swelling.
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Um but at that point, because I guess of our personal beliefs, we you know, we not that you come to terms with it, but it's like okay, what's the next step?
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And for us, it was can we donate his organs?
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Um that was something that was important to us that you know, if Levi can't have the quality of life, he was always wanting to make sure his friends were okay and make sure we were okay and happy, and so um we asked about organ donation, and so then we started that process.
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And um so he began that on Tuesday and sat up until 2:30 in the morning with the transplant lady going through all of his surgeries and medics and kind of the whole shebang of all his history.
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So um but yeah, so we um you know there's a lot involved in organ donation, a lot of different testing that they have to do and and heart scans, but we knew that you know if Levi could help someone else, that that would be the ultimate gift that we could give another family.
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Um and so he was able to donate his heart, his liver, and both his kidneys.
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So his heart went to a little girl in Colorado, a two-year-old, and his liver went to a six-year-old boy in Indiana, and then his um kidneys went to men in their 40s to sixties in Missouri and Arkansas.
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So um, you know, I guess that brings us a little bit of peace that though he's not here with us, you know, he's uh allowing other kids and other families to continue to live and make memories and not be in the hospital and everything like we were all the time.
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I mean just one of the sins uh given the gift of life, and we always started kind of saying no, like Levi's life will live on through others.
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Yeah.
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I mean, as much as obviously it's hard going through this situation with us and everything, but I feel like that's the way Rachel and I've always kind of looked at it and try to be is if we can help someone else out too.
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Like as unfortunate as it was for what happened with Levi and everything that we just I don't know, I feel like if we could help other people out and not being in the hospitals and enjoy those memories, is like even knowing that it was a 40 to six-year-old guys like with their kids, grandkids, like looking at that kind of thing too, where like the girl's two years old and like obviously has heart problems, like no, hopefully she can live on and live a long, healthy life too through Levi and even the little boy that got his liver and stuff like that.
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Yeah, we don't know their stories, but you know, likely they've spent a lot of time in hospitals, and at two years old, maybe you've spent your whole life in a hospital.
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Um Levi loved to run outside and he loved to climb and get into things he wasn't supposed to and play with his toys and watch movies and His friends were very important to him and he loved giving hugs and so I think we can if we can give another family that opportunity, that's what we wanted.
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I don't know.
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Just listening to the story.
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Um it's incredible.
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I mean there's audience and you know, I think it's very I didn't realize that they would kinda tell you who you're helping through the organ donations, and that's gotta be versus not knowing, you know, yes, we donated and hopefully it helps somebody.
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You actually have a tangible, you know, these people were helped.
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Yeah, they were only allowed to give us a little like a blur.
00:22:56.720 --> 00:23:04.160
Yeah, just a little bit of information though, like no that was Yeah, we knew that was coming in the mail, and you know, they're like in a couple weeks you'll get that.
00:23:04.240 --> 00:23:08.160
And I mean we watched the mail for weeks just waiting for that because you do.
00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:09.759
I think that's something you hold on to.
00:23:09.839 --> 00:23:32.720
And even when um there was a time that he was just not stable during all this testing, and they had to he had to be off of the epinephrine in order to do the echo to make sure his heart was healthy, but then he couldn't be off the epinephrine because of his blood pressure drop, and it's just this you know, delicate balance, and you're kind of just waiting with faded breath um whether or not he is gonna be an organ donor.
00:23:32.799 --> 00:23:40.000
And I think he just he always had that heart of gold that for me at least it was always something that I'm like, if we can get his heart, like that's the most important.
00:23:40.160 --> 00:23:58.640
So knowing that his heart went to someone, and I mean, not that your liver is not just important or whatnot, but I think just knowing, you know, like okay, this like this heart of gold is hopefully going to live on it someone else, and he had such a love for everyone and everything around him.
00:23:58.960 --> 00:24:08.559
That if we can if someone else gets a little sprinkle of his spice and his love for the whole love thing, huh?
00:24:08.720 --> 00:24:10.720
Until it was dad getting in bed when he was cuddling with mama.
00:24:11.039 --> 00:24:11.680
Daddy out bed.
00:24:12.799 --> 00:24:18.559
Yeah, yeah, he did really loved cuddling with mama a little bit more than cuddling with dad, but not when he was a baby.
00:24:23.680 --> 00:24:28.880
And you try to shove me out of bed, and it's just like chopped up and then he knew what he wanted for sure.
00:24:29.119 --> 00:24:31.839
Yeah, he sounds like an absolutely amazing boy.
00:24:32.160 --> 00:24:34.799
You guys obviously are amazing parents.
00:24:34.960 --> 00:24:43.920
I mean, the to be able to you know sit here and tell his story and you guys are amazing.
00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:46.000
I mean, it was absolutely amazing.
00:24:46.720 --> 00:24:47.839
He made it easy on us.
00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:54.240
I mean, as much as he went through, he made it so easy again, whatever they're doing.
00:24:54.400 --> 00:25:11.359
Yeah, I mean he just handled Ivy post, and you know, he didn't mind going to the hospital, and I think that speaks to how well the hospitals that are built for children really work, you know, and we couldn't ask for better support from family and friends of strangers.
00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:30.880
I mean, that you know, people often say, like, I don't know how you do it, but like it's it truly takes a village, and I think without that village, like I don't know that we would have gotten through any of these like unexpected hospitalizations or unexpected news, or just you know, like I always had us on our toes, so yeah.
00:25:31.119 --> 00:25:41.279
I mean, even like our neighbors too, and how great they've been through all this, like we'd text them or call them, say, hey, like, we're in the hospital again because of this, so what do you need?
00:25:41.359 --> 00:25:48.640
Like, there was no question to ask, like, they would just come over, mow the lawn, snowball for us, or plow whatever, and take our garbage out.
00:25:48.720 --> 00:25:55.200
I mean, there was no like nothing we had to worry about on like that side of things, even school, like just how great the teachers were.
00:25:55.279 --> 00:26:04.480
Like, everybody in school knew Levi, and just he would stop in random runs we would hear and say hi, and yeah, the whole school behind him in his class.
00:26:04.880 --> 00:26:06.720
We always kept the teachers on their toes too.
00:26:06.880 --> 00:26:11.039
So I mean, but just the community too in general.
00:26:11.119 --> 00:26:16.640
I mean, hearing how he was at school and how everybody kind of adapted to Levi.
00:26:18.079 --> 00:26:25.680
I mean, it's amazing on how well like people have been through this whole process on adapting to him.
00:26:25.759 --> 00:26:38.079
Like obviously he was delayed with being on medication from 17 months old, and this was would have been it was his seventh brain surgery that we had back in April or in April.
00:26:38.640 --> 00:26:45.440
So it's just like kind of seeing everything he's been through over the years and with him being delayed, even like it never slowed him down.
00:26:45.519 --> 00:26:55.839
And like I mean, he loved everybody, like even like hearing some of the friends that yeah, he would always go hug and kiss, like he had to ask before he would hug and kiss because he would want to do it.
00:26:59.279 --> 00:27:30.640
He just he loved his friends, his friends loved him, and you know, he just he did he brought that light to everyone, to every room, whether it was because he was being goofy or loving or a little bit of spice, but but yeah, so we we want to make sure that that's always remembered, I think, and that you know his his light that he brought to everyone, and so that's kind of what's gotten us through with the hard days too, and you know, with our girls too, they bring up all his little phrases or like we were saying before.
00:27:30.880 --> 00:27:36.480
Um when he was doing something naughty, he all of a sudden would start saying, But it's my destiny.
00:27:36.720 --> 00:27:46.240
And I'm like, your destiny is not to like climb on the bookshelf or you know, whatever, but it would just, you know, those little perks that you couldn't not laugh.
00:27:46.640 --> 00:27:48.640
So it's amazing.
00:27:49.359 --> 00:27:50.480
Absolutely amazing.
00:27:52.480 --> 00:27:53.920
Thank you for sharing the story.
00:27:55.519 --> 00:27:56.559
It means a lot.
00:27:56.720 --> 00:28:14.000
Um and there's no question, you know, that you're the perfect choice for the beneficiaries of writing for a reason I know that in the community.
00:28:14.559 --> 00:28:45.359
I wasn't I wasn't aware personally of Leo until um writing for the reason reached out to do a podcast and you know that was prior to you know his passing, uh and you know, then I started kind of following it and um just reading on social media and stuff like that and yeah, i it just an amazing story, amazing resilience, amazing words, and I really appreciate your sharing that story.
00:28:47.519 --> 00:28:59.839
Let's uh talk about the event a little bit and um maybe talk about the route and um how many tractors were you kind of expecting?
00:29:00.240 --> 00:29:02.559
I guess uh you know every year is different.
00:29:02.799 --> 00:29:06.559
Um, you know, you always expect, you know, as many tractors as possible.
00:29:06.799 --> 00:29:07.119
Sure.
00:29:07.279 --> 00:29:08.640
Um, you know, more the better.
00:29:08.880 --> 00:29:16.960
This year we're hoping for quite a few tractors, um, because we are supporting a great a great family and a reason.
00:29:17.119 --> 00:29:21.680
Yeah but yeah, the route um is uh 18 mile route um this year.
00:29:22.079 --> 00:29:24.880
And we are we're it's got a lot of meaning.
00:29:24.960 --> 00:29:37.440
Now obviously it's for Levi, but um along the route we are driving past um uh cemetery um that has um Derek's um son that passed away.
00:29:37.680 --> 00:29:48.880
So we're kinda going past uh cemetery to recognize him, and then we are also going past uh the Bill Carpenter farm, um, who was one of the founders.
00:29:49.119 --> 00:29:51.759
And so we're going past their uh his farm as well.
00:29:52.160 --> 00:29:52.720
Also Louis.
00:29:53.039 --> 00:29:54.720
Yeah, and and Louie's as well.
00:29:55.200 --> 00:30:02.240
Kind of recognize very special, you know, people that that uh that had an impact.
00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:15.920
Louis and Bill did start, you know, they they're one of the uh three founders that helped start the event, and it's always been at Louis' farm, so it's kind of neat that we get to go past that that that farm and recognize him, um, and of course Bill as well.
00:30:16.079 --> 00:30:20.480
So um we're really we're happy to be able to include those things in the in the ride this year.
00:30:20.720 --> 00:30:28.799
But yeah, um I did I did want to say how fitting it is this year to have Levi's family and and Levi as our recipient.
00:30:29.039 --> 00:30:31.920
Um just with how Louis gave to St.
00:30:32.079 --> 00:30:38.079
Jude's every year, and and even in his final year that he chose to, you know, his family chose to give to St.
00:30:38.240 --> 00:30:43.359
Jude, and then here we are with with you know you went to St.
00:30:43.519 --> 00:30:44.880
Jude and lived that out.
00:30:44.960 --> 00:30:46.400
So I think that's really neat.
00:30:46.559 --> 00:30:57.279
Um, that that kind of came that I don't know if that's God's will or how that worked out, but that's pretty neat the way that um kind of Louis giving is is right here in front of us.
00:30:57.440 --> 00:31:00.799
So um yeah, I just think that's pretty neat.
00:31:01.039 --> 00:31:02.079
And Bill too.
00:31:02.319 --> 00:31:06.640
I mean, I'm sure them too would have loved to beat Levi.
00:31:08.079 --> 00:31:09.200
Yeah, they would have.
00:31:09.519 --> 00:31:16.400
No, no, when you guys reached out to us about this event, like we were looking forward to seeing how excited he was about all these tractors and everything else, too.
00:31:16.480 --> 00:31:17.920
Like that was just loved that.
00:31:18.160 --> 00:31:21.440
He loved excavators and bulldozers, yeah.
00:31:21.599 --> 00:31:23.680
So it's just like anything that's wheels.
00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:30.000
We're really looking forward to hoping that he was gonna be here with us to see all the tractors and everything after you guys reach out to the best seat in the house.
00:31:30.160 --> 00:31:30.559
Yeah, for sure.
00:31:30.799 --> 00:31:31.200
That's right.
00:31:31.279 --> 00:31:32.400
Yeah, absolutely.
00:31:33.119 --> 00:31:35.759
And and you know, you don't mention neighbors helping neighbors.
00:31:35.839 --> 00:31:45.119
This this really is an event where neighbors truly, you know, the money raised here goes directly to the recipients, and I think that's what makes it a really neat event.
00:31:45.200 --> 00:31:55.920
And the recipients are always um locally based, so we um we do you know, we take pride in that that we can give back to the the very local community here.
00:31:56.240 --> 00:31:57.759
Yeah, that's amazing.
00:31:58.000 --> 00:31:59.039
It's amazing.
00:31:59.839 --> 00:32:02.319
So let's talk about the day's events a little bit.
00:32:02.640 --> 00:32:07.440
Um so you're gonna have some baskets uh, yeah.
00:32:07.519 --> 00:32:09.359
We've got a couple baskets behind us.
00:32:09.519 --> 00:32:18.079
Um we've had really generous um donations of baskets from various uh members of the community and different businesses.
00:32:18.319 --> 00:32:25.119
Um so we are gonna have up to 20 baskets, I think, this year, and um we're even gonna have a live auction at the event.
00:32:25.200 --> 00:32:28.160
So we have we got a live auctioneer that'll be here.
00:32:28.240 --> 00:32:31.359
Um, and he we're looking forward to auctioning off some really neat things.
00:32:31.519 --> 00:32:44.079
Um, I know Craig's family had had gone up to Canada for fishing trips and um a couple of the lodges that they'd used to go up to as a family, and family friends had donated a bear hunting trip.
00:32:44.160 --> 00:32:44.319
Wow.
00:32:44.559 --> 00:32:51.359
So if anyone's interested in bear hunting um or just you know getting up north to Canada, this would be a really great opportunity.
00:32:51.440 --> 00:32:56.480
We're gonna be auctioning off a um a six-day Canada bear hunt.
00:32:56.799 --> 00:33:02.319
So um, you know, you'll be able to have a pretty good chance of getting a bear, I'd imagine, up there.
00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:11.440
So if you or anyone you know are are interested in hunting or interested in bear hunting, please come out and and and join the phone and and join in on that auction.
00:33:11.680 --> 00:33:16.559
There's also two family getaways up in Canada to some of these lodges.
00:33:16.720 --> 00:33:19.039
So um we're gonna be auctioning those off as well.
00:33:19.200 --> 00:33:28.960
So I think included is like there's a a boat that you get for the week along with gas, and they give you worms each day and things like that, and there's beaches that the family can enjoy.
00:33:29.200 --> 00:33:35.680
Really great opportunities to be able to kind of mark your family trip off the off the list and at this event.
00:33:35.759 --> 00:33:37.119
So yeah, it's really neat.
00:33:38.240 --> 00:33:40.319
I plan the line pocket for it.
00:33:42.880 --> 00:33:46.240
Yeah, I probably should have mentioned, yeah, you're gonna want to bring a check.
00:33:46.799 --> 00:33:51.680
Those are gonna be on a live auction at the event as well as our baskets that we'll be auctioning off.
00:33:51.839 --> 00:34:03.440
We do have a larger toy tractor that's behind you there that we'll be auctioning off, and then um uh a homemade quilt as well that that'll be kind of meaningful um that'll be at the event.
00:34:03.519 --> 00:34:05.759
So we'll be auctioning all those things off live.
00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:08.480
We also have a band that'll be at the event.
00:34:08.559 --> 00:34:11.920
The band that plays at Grace Lutheran Church is called Seventh Day.
00:34:12.079 --> 00:34:15.199
They'll be there playing um through the duration of the event.
00:34:15.280 --> 00:34:16.559
We're really happy to have them.
00:34:16.639 --> 00:34:22.800
They've been at the event um in years past, and they're one of the mainstays, so we're we're really happy to have them back.
00:34:23.039 --> 00:34:28.239
Um, I mentioned we'll have food and and there'll also be beer there during the event.
00:34:28.480 --> 00:34:33.519
So we'd you know, we'd appreciate everyone to come out and enjoy a family picnic and just help neighbors.
00:34:33.840 --> 00:34:35.039
So absolutely.
00:34:35.280 --> 00:34:36.800
So how can people get involved?
00:34:37.119 --> 00:34:44.719
If they want to you know volunteer or help out during the event, whether it's serving food or serving drinks or whatever, you know, anything.
00:34:44.800 --> 00:34:54.719
Um obviously, you know, um, if they want if they feel like they want to donate, they can donate um whether it's a basket or or to the family.
00:34:55.039 --> 00:34:59.679
Yeah, we also have um, you know, if you don't have a tractor, that's perfectly fine.
00:34:59.840 --> 00:35:06.639
We do have um we of course we want to get as many tractors at the event as possible to make a really neat parade for Levi.
00:35:06.960 --> 00:35:13.679
Um, but also we'll have some some hay wagons that you know if you don't have a tractor, come on by yourselves and just drive in.
00:35:13.760 --> 00:35:16.480
We have some parking and join them in the hayride.
00:35:16.639 --> 00:35:19.119
So uh there is a small fee.
00:35:19.199 --> 00:35:27.119
There's a$20 charge for tractors to join the event and a$5 fee for hay riders, and that just helps cover insurance for the event.
00:35:27.360 --> 00:35:27.599
Sure.
00:35:27.760 --> 00:35:33.519
But yeah, happy to have anyone come and join in the hay ride um and just have some fun at days.
00:35:34.320 --> 00:35:35.119
Right through the countryside.
00:35:35.760 --> 00:35:41.280
Ride through the countryside, and we have uh hay wagons are covered with we put tarps over them and everything, and we'll have some water.
00:35:41.360 --> 00:35:44.000
So we try to make it as comfortable as possible that way.
00:35:44.320 --> 00:35:46.800
Did we talk about pedal tractors at all yet?
00:35:47.199 --> 00:35:48.000
No, we haven't.
00:35:48.159 --> 00:35:59.039
Yeah, there's yeah, so we're having like a little kid's tractor pole with pedal tractors, and that's just gonna be right out by where we eat and stuff like that.
00:35:59.119 --> 00:36:00.480
And so there'd be a little tent.
00:36:01.039 --> 00:36:02.639
That's gonna be that's gonna be fun, actually.
00:36:02.800 --> 00:36:04.000
Yeah, something for all ages.
00:36:04.320 --> 00:36:04.559
Yeah.
00:36:05.280 --> 00:36:09.519
I'm almost 50 years old, I can remember doing pedal tracker poles when I was a kid.
00:36:09.679 --> 00:36:09.920
Yeah.
00:36:10.159 --> 00:36:17.679
And just something if if if your children haven't done it, bring them out and it's something number for the rest of their lives.
00:36:17.840 --> 00:36:19.679
I mean, it's a lot of fun.
00:36:19.920 --> 00:36:20.480
We betcha.
00:36:20.880 --> 00:36:26.480
And we you know, we couldn't do all this without all the really generous support from the community.
00:36:26.719 --> 00:36:33.679
Um, some of the bigger ones, uh, Schmick Agency in AMRO did uh help help out with the event.
00:36:33.760 --> 00:36:39.760
Uh Park and Print helped a lot with printing and and things like that as far as promotion.
00:36:39.840 --> 00:36:43.440
Um, Ray Sanitation is helping out with some porta potties and things like that.
00:36:43.679 --> 00:36:51.039
UMR Rushford Fire Department always helps out with um kind of the route and logistics and things like that throughout the day.
00:36:51.119 --> 00:36:58.079
Um, of course, the the three founders of the event, Russ Kleinschmidt, who is still um helping out uh day-to-day.
00:36:58.159 --> 00:37:01.760
We we give him calls um, you know, how did you this in the past?
00:37:01.840 --> 00:37:05.360
And he's he's here to help this year as well, kind of getting things set up.
00:37:05.519 --> 00:37:09.760
And then we we got to thank you guys, of course, for having us in the podcast this year too.
00:37:10.000 --> 00:37:11.039
So our pleasure, yeah.
00:37:11.280 --> 00:37:18.000
Um yeah, and then we're leaving out a lot of different uh organizations that that really helped out this year, uh, big and small.
00:37:18.159 --> 00:37:20.639
So we appreciate everyone's support that way.
00:37:20.960 --> 00:37:24.559
Yeah, so July 18th, marker calendars.
00:37:24.719 --> 00:37:27.599
Um registration starts at 9 a.m.
00:37:27.920 --> 00:37:28.719
Is that what you said?
00:37:29.119 --> 00:37:29.440
Yep.
00:37:29.599 --> 00:37:32.400
Um registration will start at 9 a.m.
00:37:32.639 --> 00:37:38.239
uh on the 18th, and tractors will leave promptly at 11 a.m.
00:37:38.639 --> 00:37:44.400
And we're gonna be on about a 17-mile ride, so that'll probably take about an hour and a half.
00:37:44.559 --> 00:37:48.400
Um, so we'll be back here around 12:30, 12.45, I would think.
00:37:48.559 --> 00:37:53.039
Um, and from there we'll kind of kick off the the the picnic and the benefits.
00:37:53.199 --> 00:37:54.239
So wonderful.
00:37:54.480 --> 00:37:56.559
Um don't feel free to get here early.
00:37:56.639 --> 00:38:04.880
You know, you can get here around if you're not in the ride, you can get here around 12 o'clock and start um checking out baskets, and you might want to get here early to get your bids in.
00:38:04.960 --> 00:38:06.159
So yeah, we'll be excited.
00:38:06.400 --> 00:38:11.679
And if you want to come before 11 to uh jump on the hay wagon and and go for the ride.
00:38:11.920 --> 00:38:12.239
Correct.
00:38:12.320 --> 00:38:15.280
Yeah, if you want to join the ride, we we really encourage that.
00:38:15.360 --> 00:38:17.519
So get here before 11 o'clock because we'll be leaving.
00:38:17.679 --> 00:38:19.519
It's been a long time since I've been on a hay wagon.
00:38:19.679 --> 00:38:20.320
Yeah.
00:38:21.920 --> 00:38:22.079
Yeah.
00:38:22.559 --> 00:38:23.599
For sure, for sure.
00:38:23.760 --> 00:38:26.880
Well, thanks for taking the time to do the podcast with us.
00:38:27.119 --> 00:38:28.880
Um for great weather.
00:38:28.960 --> 00:38:34.239
We should probably mention also that if if it is raining, the 19th would be a rain date.
00:38:34.480 --> 00:38:42.239
We do, yeah, we do always hold a rain date in the event that there's a storm that's predicted that's gonna be you know shutting down the event.
00:38:42.400 --> 00:38:45.360
So um follow our Facebook page.
00:38:45.440 --> 00:38:47.280
Um, we will have we do have a website as well.
00:38:47.440 --> 00:38:50.239
Yep, omra ridenforreason.org would be our website.
00:38:50.719 --> 00:38:56.239
And then you can follow us on Facebook at Omra Riden for a Reason Benefit Tractor Ride.
00:38:56.400 --> 00:39:00.800
So that's where you can find us on Facebook, and we do post most of our updates on there.
00:39:01.039 --> 00:39:09.840
And um, yeah, keep us, especially if you see rain in the forecast, keep checking that to see um if we are going to reschedule, and we'll get the word out as best we can, other than that.
00:39:09.920 --> 00:39:12.960
But uh otherwise, plan on the 18th, we'll we'll have everyone there.
00:39:13.119 --> 00:39:14.000
So awesome.
00:39:14.239 --> 00:39:16.400
Well, thank you guys for all your hard work.
00:39:16.480 --> 00:39:20.880
You know, putting events on like this is no small feat.
00:39:21.039 --> 00:39:26.880
You know, it takes a lot of work and you know, a lot of volunteers and um it's admiral.
00:39:26.960 --> 00:39:35.119
I mean, it's helps the community, helps you know, it's gonna help you guys family and you know families for years to come, I'm sure.
00:39:35.199 --> 00:39:36.880
So thank you for what you guys do.
00:39:37.119 --> 00:39:37.599
No, thank you.
00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:13.439
Though he's not here with us, you know, he's allowing other kids and other families to continue to live and make memories and not be in the hospital and everything like we were all the time.
00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:24.000
I mean it's just one of those things uh given the gift of life, and we always started kind of saying no like anybody's life to live on through others.
00:00:24.480 --> 00:00:25.839
Hello, I'm Brandon Miller.
00:00:26.079 --> 00:00:31.679
The city of Omro has beautiful parks, active organizations, and thriving businesses.
00:00:31.920 --> 00:00:41.280
In partnership with Future Omro, the Amro Area Community Center, and crowd sponsorship by Miller Auto, we'd like to welcome you inside OMRO.
00:00:41.520 --> 00:00:51.039
Today we're just north of AMRO at 4595 County Road F at Redwood Farms, talking about a very important event called Raiden for a reason.
00:00:51.280 --> 00:00:56.000
We're here with the board of directors and Levi's uh parents.
00:00:56.320 --> 00:00:59.439
Uh, why don't you guys go around and introduce yourselves?
00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:02.320
Yeah, so I'm Carson Butke.
00:01:02.640 --> 00:01:06.319
My great-grandpa was one of the founders.
00:01:06.959 --> 00:01:14.480
And last year he died, so I asked Derek if he wanted to take it over because it was such a good thing.
00:01:14.879 --> 00:01:18.079
Yeah, I'm Derek Poltratz, again, one of the directors.
00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:20.560
Um, like Carson said, he reached out.
00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:37.120
Um, he had been working with me at the time, and we just thought what a great opportunity to be able to keep this this event going and kind of um keep Louise and and Bill's and um all Russ's hard work um getting this event going for the last 17 years and wanted to keep it keep it rolling.
00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:38.879
I'm James Crowley.
00:01:39.040 --> 00:01:40.239
Um I'm one of the directors.
00:01:40.400 --> 00:01:44.719
Um Derek reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in helping out.
00:01:45.760 --> 00:01:46.319
Nice.
00:01:47.599 --> 00:01:49.359
And I am Rachel Kruger.
00:01:49.599 --> 00:01:56.079
I am Levi Kruger's mom, so the um family this year that is part of the benefit.
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Wonderful.
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And I'm Craig Kruger, I'm Levi's Dan.
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Do you want to go into the history a little bit more of uh writing for a reason?
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Yeah, so you know, this is our 17th annual, so 17 years ago, someone in the neighborhood their house burnt down, and Louis, Bill, and Russ were all in the fire department, and they all like old tractors.
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They just decided to have a little tractor ride try to try to help that family out.
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And you know, it grew and grew within four years.
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They went from 13 tractors to over 40.
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And there's just always been a local family need last year.
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Just because of the passing of my grandpa, there wasn't really time to find anyone, so all the proceeds went to St.
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Jude's, which was something he donated to out of his own pocket.
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Um, this year we're just excited to help another family again.
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Yeah, absolutely.
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So let's talk about this year's ride a little bit, how it's organized and the rules and so forth.
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Yeah, um, this year, of course, we are hosting Levi's family.
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Um we so kind of the the general outline of the the day that that day.
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Uh tractors come in around nine o'clock, we have registration.
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Um they come in, we um kind of line up, have a have some coffee in the morning while the tractors are coming in, and kind of some camaraderie between people that are have tractors coming in and and just talk to your neighbors uh that morning.
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Then we leave.
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We do have about an 18-mile ride planned um around the neighborhood.
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You probably can't see it in the in the in the camera there, but um a nice ride around the the neighborhood in around Omroe, Poigan, and Rochford.
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Um then we return here to the farm uh and we have a really nice benefit.
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We have a picnic.
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Uh this year we're gonna have smoked pork, uh potatoes, and uh we kind of do a potluck style.
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So if anyone would like to bring uh a dessert or uh a salad to pass, that'd be great.
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Um and then on top of that we have tons of raffle baskets.
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So this year we have uh about 20 raffle baskets planned.
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We're gonna have a couple of really great trips um to Canada actually planned.
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So um some really neat things, and we'd like to get into that a little bit more in a little bit.
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But um yeah, we're really excited to build it host this this year.
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Nice.
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This year, Levi Kriegers family is the recipients of the um or the beneficiaries of the of the event.
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Um do you guys want to talk about uh Levi a little bit and kind of the story behind that?
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Yeah, so um start.
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Okay.
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Uh Levi was diagnosed with a brain tumor at 17 months old.
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Um he was diagnosed after starting to have seizures.
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Um, and after a few trips to the emergency room and trying different meds, um, we were sent down to children's where they said, yep, he's got a mass in his brain, we're not really sure what it is.
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Um essentially come back and we'll do a biopsy.
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So did a biopsy a few weeks later and the day before Thanksgiving, we're told that it was a cancerous brain tumor.
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Um little different in kids and adults, but it was considered low grade.
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So, whereas um adults' brain tumors are oftentimes deadly or not as treatable in pediatrics, they are um a little bit more treatable.
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Um, so at that point, because he was overall doing well, they decided to just treat the seizures.
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Um and so for a year and a half we just chased his seizures and he would have 60 seizures a day, all of a sudden he'd just drop, um, he'd have a cluster, and then he'd just get up and keep going.
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And that was kind of when we learned of Levi's resilience, is because nothing stopped him ever.
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No, um, and so about three years old is when he had his first resection surgery, and so that was really the purpose of that was to take out some of that um tumor that was causing the seizures, and the seizures were or his tumors irritating his brain and causing the seizures.
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So um that gave him a little bit of seizure freedom, um, but overall, long term it wasn't the solution, and so we've ended up kind of per pursuing more surgical options, and so he had had um like an SEEG, which is when they stick, like I think the first time it was 13 probes in his head, and you go back to the floor with those 13 probes screwed into your head, and it monitors your seizure activity to try to pinpoint so they could go in and better um try to tackle that seizure focus.
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Um at that point, he had had another surgery, more seizures, um, but overall was doing well.
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You know, he's always through the whole process, even in the hospital, happy go-lucky, playing with the nurses, giggling, trying to escape, even with the cord attached to the wall.
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Yeah, listening to his Cody Johnson.
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That was his favorite singer.
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Yeah, that was always his big thing, Till You Can't by Cody Johnson was always something that kind of calmed him down in his go-to, his music.
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Yeah, we have some videos of him from writing the ICU when he woke up, and you know, they start getting a little squirrely once that anesthesia starts wearing off, and we had to give him the phone so he could just sing.
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So he's got Lightning McQueen in one hand and the phone in the other with his head all wrapped, just singing to Cody Johnson.
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But um, so yeah, so I mean, by probably the age of six, he had had three surgeries.
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Um, and after that second resection surgery, we got 18 months to the day of seizure freedom, no seizures, he was doing really well, and then the seizures started again.
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And through that time, I mean his tumor was slowly growing, but really overall the tumor part of it was stable, and so we didn't need any sort of chemo, and you know, I think overall we felt pretty blessed that we didn't have to chase it like some people do.
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Some there's a lot of different families that have similar tumors that you know have had to go down many courses of chemo or radiation or things like that.
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So um about the age of six, he had that resection surgery, had the 18 months of seizure freedom, and at that point when he started having seizures again, we kind of felt like we needed to do something different.
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You know, how do we keep putting your kid through just chasing seizure activity?
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Um, and so we started kind of the process of looking at different places that can treat him.
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Um, and kind of over that year, uh children have told us they didn't know of any other besides surgical options of any other treatments.
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Um, and kind of felt like we had just outgrown that team.
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So we ended up reaching out to Saint Jude, and that was probably around he was probably seven, um, started seeing St.
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Jude, and that was such a great experience for us.
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Um, you know, you hear St.
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Jude on the radio, you hear of all the things that they do, but until you're there, I mean, I could have never imagined the care that we've received compared to even, you know, all the commercials and whatnot.
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Um but yeah, so he we were down there for about a year.
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He had had um, you know, just the overseeing of his tumor, and at that point his tumor grew, so they knew that they needed to go do another surgery, and so he had a surgery um to remove his temporal lobe.
00:10:06.320 --> 00:10:17.360
Um and then they noticed that he was also having drop seizures, so seizures where he would just drop with no sort of indication before then.
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Um, and so they decided that he would also need what's called a corpus calosotomy, which is when they go in and literally split the brain in two hemispheres.
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So they disconnect that connection between them to prevent the seizures from going from one side of the brain to the other.
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Um so three weeks after that, right around, let's see, that was right before Christmas, he had his first surgery, and then right after Christmas he had his second surgery um to get rid of that connection.
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And he did really well.
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Um we didn't notice any seizures.
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He bounced right back.
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They'd said they warned us that after the corpus callosotomy, because your brain now has to learn to coordinate both sides of the body independently, whereas before it doesn't that, you know, kids can often be catatonic, they can take weeks.
00:11:15.600 --> 00:11:18.000
Um, sometimes you need inpatient rehab.
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Um, we were out of the hospital in four days, he was walking on his own, had a little bit more pronounced left-sided weakness, which they think is just because the tumor had grown, but he surprised us all like he always does.
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And um, so yeah, so that was in January um of 2024, and then we knew we would need to start treatment.
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So the best course of treatment that they had recommended was a clinical trial.
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Um, the clinical trial was an oral medication that he takes twice a day.
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He needed to start it.
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Um, we started at Valentine's Day of 2024, and it required us to be down at St.
00:12:00.559 --> 00:12:03.679
Jude in Memphis, Tennessee for six weeks.
00:12:03.919 --> 00:12:12.960
Um, the first day you get blood work done, like I think it's every hour, um, to really monitor things and then echoes and stuff like that, too.
00:12:13.039 --> 00:12:15.600
Um make sure heart functions good, you know.
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Yeah.
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Um they had to do a whole bunch of different testing just to make sure that his body could tolerate it, and then as that six weeks progresses, you know, you are still getting monitoring, but it kind of titrates out to um farther in between.
00:12:33.360 --> 00:12:51.440
So after we got to go home at that six weeks mark, we were back every month for different tests and imaging, and then it went to two months, and then it went to four months, and during the first couple rounds, we thought we saw some necrosis, which would be good, tumor death.
00:12:51.759 --> 00:12:58.639
Um, but then like the next imaging would show maybe it wasn't tumor death, maybe it's more activity.
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So kind of went back and forth.
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They never quite knew what was happening, but overall, like the tumor wasn't growing.
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Um, so we completed two years of that in February.
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Um and he did, I mean, phenomenal.
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He didn't really have any side effects, nothing crazy, at least.
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Um, you know, you hear kids on chemo that lose their hair or you know are fatigued or or can't go to school, he was able to do all those things.
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So I think that's like the benefit of going somewhere that does do clinical trials sometimes.
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I mean, as much as it's hard to sign your child up for something that you don't know the side effects of.
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Um, but yeah, I mean, he continued to just have that resilient, happy-go-lucky spirit with a little bit of spice.
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He always kept us on our toes.
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Oh yeah, that's for sure.
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So yeah, we came off in February, had scans, everything looked good.
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And then April of this year, um, we noticed he had a little bit more pronounced left-sided weakness.
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He wasn't sleeping, so we weren't sure if it was just muscle fatigue from not sleeping.
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Ended up taking him to the ER.
00:14:04.799 --> 00:14:11.600
Um at our second ER visit, they were able to do a MRI and noticed that his tumor had grown substantially.
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Um, so we were med-flighted down to Memphis, Tennessee again, where we were taken over by our team down there.
00:14:22.240 --> 00:14:26.559
Um and they were kind of like, well, we're gonna have to develop a plan.
00:14:26.799 --> 00:14:35.200
So we spent one night in the PICU down there, one night on the floor, and they said, He's doing so good, you know, go back to housing and we'll figure out a plan.
00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:40.240
So the plan then was to do surgery to try to remove as much tumor as possible.
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They had always tried to spare his left side.
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He had left-sided weakness, but was able to run, jump, do all the things a normal boy would do.
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Um, but it had come to the point that that's kind of where we were at.
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So we were going to do surgery and then follow up with radiation.
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Um, so he had his surgery and things went really well.
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Um surgeon wasn't sure if he would have any left-sided function because when they put the electrodes in to check for electrical activity, nothing lit up.
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On the typical spot, you would have that um reaction on that motor strip.
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Um we said, okay, that's just what it's gonna be if this is what makes his tour go away.
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Years to kind of like bypass that object.
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Yeah, to spare that.
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Um wanting to keep his left-sided function as long as we could, as long as it was obviously safe to do.
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So we kind of knew going into this one that that might have been this would have probably been the time that he would lose that left-sided function.
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And the surgeon went one more time to just go check on him before kind of signing him over to the team, and he came back a short time later, very giddy, saying he's moving everything.
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So we were kind of waiting everything, everything, the left side, yep, everything.
00:16:05.600 --> 00:16:16.559
So we were allowed to go back there a few minutes later, and Levi, much to all of our surprise, is trying to sit up and get out of bed and roll around with all his lines and tubes.
00:16:16.639 --> 00:16:18.639
And I mean, that was just Levi.
00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:21.039
He just never sat still.
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No.
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Um, so the next day, I mean, just worked on recovery and um got him out of bed.
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We walked around the room, he was doing really well, still pretty tired, but you know, we thought, hey, like if we all had major brain surgery and had had a line-sized amount of tumor and brain removed, we'd all probably want to lay in bed for a while.
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So then that was Friday.
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Friday kind of was uneventful, got moved to the floor from the picule, and then Saturday.
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Um he just kind of seemed more fatigued, and we asked the team and they said, Yeah, you know, give him time.
00:17:02.559 --> 00:17:05.599
We can't expect Levi to be a superhero all the time.
00:17:05.839 --> 00:17:12.559
Um, and then about halfway through the day, we noticed he just was not responding like he normally was.
00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:28.799
Um the team came in, they decided to move him to the ICU, and I mean, rapidly from there, he just declined considerably, ended up on a ventilator because he wasn't breathing on his own, not responding at all.
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Um, and they couldn't figure out why.
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They had done CT scans and blood work, and you know, they're checking all the things, and nothing was really adding up as to what was causing him to be the way he was.
00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:54.000
Um, probably by midnight or so, they'd done a CT scan, and that's when it showed that you know there was considerable brain damage.
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They don't know why.
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Um, but it was kind of a well, let's you know, leave him sedated and we'll see how the next day goes and see what we can do to reduce the sedation and see what what things look like.
00:18:07.920 --> 00:18:26.880
Um and then Sunday morning he was kind of stable after that, and they took him for another CT scan, and that's when it showed um he had lost blood flow from his neck up, so there was no blood flow going to his brain.
00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:32.559
Um and so at that point it was you know something that we weren't gonna come back to.
00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:39.920
By that time, too, we had gotten some test results, and it looks like he had had an infection that just took over his body.
00:18:40.079 --> 00:18:52.559
It's an infection or a germ that we all have in our bodies, probably, and so they don't know why his body just overreacted the way it did and and caused kind of that septic shock and brain swelling.
00:18:52.880 --> 00:19:03.839
Um but at that point, because I guess of our personal beliefs, we you know, we not that you come to terms with it, but it's like okay, what's the next step?
00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:07.359
And for us, it was can we donate his organs?
00:19:08.079 --> 00:19:26.240
Um that was something that was important to us that you know, if Levi can't have the quality of life, he was always wanting to make sure his friends were okay and make sure we were okay and happy, and so um we asked about organ donation, and so then we started that process.
00:19:26.400 --> 00:19:42.559
And um so he began that on Tuesday and sat up until 2:30 in the morning with the transplant lady going through all of his surgeries and medics and kind of the whole shebang of all his history.
00:19:44.559 --> 00:20:01.839
So um but yeah, so we um you know there's a lot involved in organ donation, a lot of different testing that they have to do and and heart scans, but we knew that you know if Levi could help someone else, that that would be the ultimate gift that we could give another family.
00:20:02.079 --> 00:20:08.000
Um and so he was able to donate his heart, his liver, and both his kidneys.
00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:24.640
So his heart went to a little girl in Colorado, a two-year-old, and his liver went to a six-year-old boy in Indiana, and then his um kidneys went to men in their 40s to sixties in Missouri and Arkansas.
00:20:24.880 --> 00:20:44.559
So um, you know, I guess that brings us a little bit of peace that though he's not here with us, you know, he's uh allowing other kids and other families to continue to live and make memories and not be in the hospital and everything like we were all the time.
00:20:44.720 --> 00:20:55.039
I mean just one of the sins uh given the gift of life, and we always started kind of saying no, like Levi's life will live on through others.
00:20:55.359 --> 00:20:55.519
Yeah.
00:20:55.839 --> 00:21:06.880
I mean, as much as obviously it's hard going through this situation with us and everything, but I feel like that's the way Rachel and I've always kind of looked at it and try to be is if we can help someone else out too.
00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:40.160
Like as unfortunate as it was for what happened with Levi and everything that we just I don't know, I feel like if we could help other people out and not being in the hospitals and enjoy those memories, is like even knowing that it was a 40 to six-year-old guys like with their kids, grandkids, like looking at that kind of thing too, where like the girl's two years old and like obviously has heart problems, like no, hopefully she can live on and live a long, healthy life too through Levi and even the little boy that got his liver and stuff like that.
00:21:40.960 --> 00:21:49.359
Yeah, we don't know their stories, but you know, likely they've spent a lot of time in hospitals, and at two years old, maybe you've spent your whole life in a hospital.
00:21:49.519 --> 00:22:10.240
Um Levi loved to run outside and he loved to climb and get into things he wasn't supposed to and play with his toys and watch movies and His friends were very important to him and he loved giving hugs and so I think we can if we can give another family that opportunity, that's what we wanted.
00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:18.799
I don't know.
00:22:19.039 --> 00:22:20.400
Just listening to the story.
00:22:20.720 --> 00:22:25.279
Um it's incredible.
00:22:25.359 --> 00:22:47.440
I mean there's audience and you know, I think it's very I didn't realize that they would kinda tell you who you're helping through the organ donations, and that's gotta be versus not knowing, you know, yes, we donated and hopefully it helps somebody.
00:22:47.519 --> 00:22:51.680
You actually have a tangible, you know, these people were helped.
00:22:52.160 --> 00:22:54.880
Yeah, they were only allowed to give us a little like a blur.
00:22:56.720 --> 00:23:04.160
Yeah, just a little bit of information though, like no that was Yeah, we knew that was coming in the mail, and you know, they're like in a couple weeks you'll get that.
00:23:04.240 --> 00:23:08.160
And I mean we watched the mail for weeks just waiting for that because you do.
00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:09.759
I think that's something you hold on to.
00:23:09.839 --> 00:23:32.720
And even when um there was a time that he was just not stable during all this testing, and they had to he had to be off of the epinephrine in order to do the echo to make sure his heart was healthy, but then he couldn't be off the epinephrine because of his blood pressure drop, and it's just this you know, delicate balance, and you're kind of just waiting with faded breath um whether or not he is gonna be an organ donor.
00:23:32.799 --> 00:23:40.000
And I think he just he always had that heart of gold that for me at least it was always something that I'm like, if we can get his heart, like that's the most important.
00:23:40.160 --> 00:23:58.640
So knowing that his heart went to someone, and I mean, not that your liver is not just important or whatnot, but I think just knowing, you know, like okay, this like this heart of gold is hopefully going to live on it someone else, and he had such a love for everyone and everything around him.
00:23:58.960 --> 00:24:08.559
That if we can if someone else gets a little sprinkle of his spice and his love for the whole love thing, huh?
00:24:08.720 --> 00:24:10.720
Until it was dad getting in bed when he was cuddling with mama.
00:24:11.039 --> 00:24:11.680
Daddy out bed.
00:24:12.799 --> 00:24:18.559
Yeah, yeah, he did really loved cuddling with mama a little bit more than cuddling with dad, but not when he was a baby.
00:24:23.680 --> 00:24:28.880
And you try to shove me out of bed, and it's just like chopped up and then he knew what he wanted for sure.
00:24:29.119 --> 00:24:31.839
Yeah, he sounds like an absolutely amazing boy.
00:24:32.160 --> 00:24:34.799
You guys obviously are amazing parents.
00:24:34.960 --> 00:24:43.920
I mean, the to be able to you know sit here and tell his story and you guys are amazing.
00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:46.000
I mean, it was absolutely amazing.
00:24:46.720 --> 00:24:47.839
He made it easy on us.
00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:54.240
I mean, as much as he went through, he made it so easy again, whatever they're doing.
00:24:54.400 --> 00:25:11.359
Yeah, I mean he just handled Ivy post, and you know, he didn't mind going to the hospital, and I think that speaks to how well the hospitals that are built for children really work, you know, and we couldn't ask for better support from family and friends of strangers.
00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:30.880
I mean, that you know, people often say, like, I don't know how you do it, but like it's it truly takes a village, and I think without that village, like I don't know that we would have gotten through any of these like unexpected hospitalizations or unexpected news, or just you know, like I always had us on our toes, so yeah.
00:25:31.119 --> 00:25:41.279
I mean, even like our neighbors too, and how great they've been through all this, like we'd text them or call them, say, hey, like, we're in the hospital again because of this, so what do you need?
00:25:41.359 --> 00:25:48.640
Like, there was no question to ask, like, they would just come over, mow the lawn, snowball for us, or plow whatever, and take our garbage out.
00:25:48.720 --> 00:25:55.200
I mean, there was no like nothing we had to worry about on like that side of things, even school, like just how great the teachers were.
00:25:55.279 --> 00:26:04.480
Like, everybody in school knew Levi, and just he would stop in random runs we would hear and say hi, and yeah, the whole school behind him in his class.
00:26:04.880 --> 00:26:06.720
We always kept the teachers on their toes too.
00:26:06.880 --> 00:26:11.039
So I mean, but just the community too in general.
00:26:11.119 --> 00:26:16.640
I mean, hearing how he was at school and how everybody kind of adapted to Levi.
00:26:18.079 --> 00:26:25.680
I mean, it's amazing on how well like people have been through this whole process on adapting to him.
00:26:25.759 --> 00:26:38.079
Like obviously he was delayed with being on medication from 17 months old, and this was would have been it was his seventh brain surgery that we had back in April or in April.
00:26:38.640 --> 00:26:45.440
So it's just like kind of seeing everything he's been through over the years and with him being delayed, even like it never slowed him down.
00:26:45.519 --> 00:26:55.839
And like I mean, he loved everybody, like even like hearing some of the friends that yeah, he would always go hug and kiss, like he had to ask before he would hug and kiss because he would want to do it.
00:26:59.279 --> 00:27:30.640
He just he loved his friends, his friends loved him, and you know, he just he did he brought that light to everyone, to every room, whether it was because he was being goofy or loving or a little bit of spice, but but yeah, so we we want to make sure that that's always remembered, I think, and that you know his his light that he brought to everyone, and so that's kind of what's gotten us through with the hard days too, and you know, with our girls too, they bring up all his little phrases or like we were saying before.
00:27:30.880 --> 00:27:36.480
Um when he was doing something naughty, he all of a sudden would start saying, But it's my destiny.
00:27:36.720 --> 00:27:46.240
And I'm like, your destiny is not to like climb on the bookshelf or you know, whatever, but it would just, you know, those little perks that you couldn't not laugh.
00:27:46.640 --> 00:27:48.640
So it's amazing.
00:27:49.359 --> 00:27:50.480
Absolutely amazing.
00:27:52.480 --> 00:27:53.920
Thank you for sharing the story.
00:27:55.519 --> 00:27:56.559
It means a lot.
00:27:56.720 --> 00:28:14.000
Um and there's no question, you know, that you're the perfect choice for the beneficiaries of writing for a reason I know that in the community.
00:28:14.559 --> 00:28:45.359
I wasn't I wasn't aware personally of Leo until um writing for the reason reached out to do a podcast and you know that was prior to you know his passing, uh and you know, then I started kind of following it and um just reading on social media and stuff like that and yeah, i it just an amazing story, amazing resilience, amazing words, and I really appreciate your sharing that story.
00:28:47.519 --> 00:28:59.839
Let's uh talk about the event a little bit and um maybe talk about the route and um how many tractors were you kind of expecting?
00:29:00.240 --> 00:29:02.559
I guess uh you know every year is different.
00:29:02.799 --> 00:29:06.559
Um, you know, you always expect, you know, as many tractors as possible.
00:29:06.799 --> 00:29:07.119
Sure.
00:29:07.279 --> 00:29:08.640
Um, you know, more the better.
00:29:08.880 --> 00:29:16.960
This year we're hoping for quite a few tractors, um, because we are supporting a great a great family and a reason.
00:29:17.119 --> 00:29:21.680
Yeah but yeah, the route um is uh 18 mile route um this year.
00:29:22.079 --> 00:29:24.880
And we are we're it's got a lot of meaning.
00:29:24.960 --> 00:29:37.440
Now obviously it's for Levi, but um along the route we are driving past um uh cemetery um that has um Derek's um son that passed away.
00:29:37.680 --> 00:29:48.880
So we're kinda going past uh cemetery to recognize him, and then we are also going past uh the Bill Carpenter farm, um, who was one of the founders.
00:29:49.119 --> 00:29:51.759
And so we're going past their uh his farm as well.
00:29:52.160 --> 00:29:52.720
Also Louis.
00:29:53.039 --> 00:29:54.720
Yeah, and and Louie's as well.
00:29:55.200 --> 00:30:02.240
Kind of recognize very special, you know, people that that uh that had an impact.
00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:15.920
Louis and Bill did start, you know, they they're one of the uh three founders that helped start the event, and it's always been at Louis' farm, so it's kind of neat that we get to go past that that that farm and recognize him, um, and of course Bill as well.
00:30:16.079 --> 00:30:20.480
So um we're really we're happy to be able to include those things in the in the ride this year.
00:30:20.720 --> 00:30:28.799
But yeah, um I did I did want to say how fitting it is this year to have Levi's family and and Levi as our recipient.
00:30:29.039 --> 00:30:31.920
Um just with how Louis gave to St.
00:30:32.079 --> 00:30:38.079
Jude's every year, and and even in his final year that he chose to, you know, his family chose to give to St.
00:30:38.240 --> 00:30:43.359
Jude, and then here we are with with you know you went to St.
00:30:43.519 --> 00:30:44.880
Jude and lived that out.
00:30:44.960 --> 00:30:46.400
So I think that's really neat.
00:30:46.559 --> 00:30:57.279
Um, that that kind of came that I don't know if that's God's will or how that worked out, but that's pretty neat the way that um kind of Louis giving is is right here in front of us.
00:30:57.440 --> 00:31:00.799
So um yeah, I just think that's pretty neat.
00:31:01.039 --> 00:31:02.079
And Bill too.
00:31:02.319 --> 00:31:06.640
I mean, I'm sure them too would have loved to beat Levi.
00:31:08.079 --> 00:31:09.200
Yeah, they would have.
00:31:09.519 --> 00:31:16.400
No, no, when you guys reached out to us about this event, like we were looking forward to seeing how excited he was about all these tractors and everything else, too.
00:31:16.480 --> 00:31:17.920
Like that was just loved that.
00:31:18.160 --> 00:31:21.440
He loved excavators and bulldozers, yeah.
00:31:21.599 --> 00:31:23.680
So it's just like anything that's wheels.
00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:30.000
We're really looking forward to hoping that he was gonna be here with us to see all the tractors and everything after you guys reach out to the best seat in the house.
00:31:30.160 --> 00:31:30.559
Yeah, for sure.
00:31:30.799 --> 00:31:31.200
That's right.
00:31:31.279 --> 00:31:32.400
Yeah, absolutely.
00:31:33.119 --> 00:31:35.759
And and you know, you don't mention neighbors helping neighbors.
00:31:35.839 --> 00:31:45.119
This this really is an event where neighbors truly, you know, the money raised here goes directly to the recipients, and I think that's what makes it a really neat event.
00:31:45.200 --> 00:31:55.920
And the recipients are always um locally based, so we um we do you know, we take pride in that that we can give back to the the very local community here.
00:31:56.240 --> 00:31:57.759
Yeah, that's amazing.
00:31:58.000 --> 00:31:59.039
It's amazing.
00:31:59.839 --> 00:32:02.319
So let's talk about the day's events a little bit.
00:32:02.640 --> 00:32:07.440
Um so you're gonna have some baskets uh, yeah.
00:32:07.519 --> 00:32:09.359
We've got a couple baskets behind us.
00:32:09.519 --> 00:32:18.079
Um we've had really generous um donations of baskets from various uh members of the community and different businesses.
00:32:18.319 --> 00:32:25.119
Um so we are gonna have up to 20 baskets, I think, this year, and um we're even gonna have a live auction at the event.
00:32:25.200 --> 00:32:28.160
So we have we got a live auctioneer that'll be here.
00:32:28.240 --> 00:32:31.359
Um, and he we're looking forward to auctioning off some really neat things.
00:32:31.519 --> 00:32:44.079
Um, I know Craig's family had had gone up to Canada for fishing trips and um a couple of the lodges that they'd used to go up to as a family, and family friends had donated a bear hunting trip.
00:32:44.160 --> 00:32:44.319
Wow.
00:32:44.559 --> 00:32:51.359
So if anyone's interested in bear hunting um or just you know getting up north to Canada, this would be a really great opportunity.
00:32:51.440 --> 00:32:56.480
We're gonna be auctioning off a um a six-day Canada bear hunt.
00:32:56.799 --> 00:33:02.319
So um, you know, you'll be able to have a pretty good chance of getting a bear, I'd imagine, up there.
00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:11.440
So if you or anyone you know are are interested in hunting or interested in bear hunting, please come out and and and join the phone and and join in on that auction.
00:33:11.680 --> 00:33:16.559
There's also two family getaways up in Canada to some of these lodges.
00:33:16.720 --> 00:33:19.039
So um we're gonna be auctioning those off as well.
00:33:19.200 --> 00:33:28.960
So I think included is like there's a a boat that you get for the week along with gas, and they give you worms each day and things like that, and there's beaches that the family can enjoy.
00:33:29.200 --> 00:33:35.680
Really great opportunities to be able to kind of mark your family trip off the off the list and at this event.
00:33:35.759 --> 00:33:37.119
So yeah, it's really neat.
00:33:38.240 --> 00:33:40.319
I plan the line pocket for it.
00:33:42.880 --> 00:33:46.240
Yeah, I probably should have mentioned, yeah, you're gonna want to bring a check.
00:33:46.799 --> 00:33:51.680
Those are gonna be on a live auction at the event as well as our baskets that we'll be auctioning off.
00:33:51.839 --> 00:34:03.440
We do have a larger toy tractor that's behind you there that we'll be auctioning off, and then um uh a homemade quilt as well that that'll be kind of meaningful um that'll be at the event.
00:34:03.519 --> 00:34:05.759
So we'll be auctioning all those things off live.
00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:08.480
We also have a band that'll be at the event.
00:34:08.559 --> 00:34:11.920
The band that plays at Grace Lutheran Church is called Seventh Day.
00:34:12.079 --> 00:34:15.199
They'll be there playing um through the duration of the event.
00:34:15.280 --> 00:34:16.559
We're really happy to have them.
00:34:16.639 --> 00:34:22.800
They've been at the event um in years past, and they're one of the mainstays, so we're we're really happy to have them back.
00:34:23.039 --> 00:34:28.239
Um, I mentioned we'll have food and and there'll also be beer there during the event.
00:34:28.480 --> 00:34:33.519
So we'd you know, we'd appreciate everyone to come out and enjoy a family picnic and just help neighbors.
00:34:33.840 --> 00:34:35.039
So absolutely.
00:34:35.280 --> 00:34:36.800
So how can people get involved?
00:34:37.119 --> 00:34:44.719
If they want to you know volunteer or help out during the event, whether it's serving food or serving drinks or whatever, you know, anything.
00:34:44.800 --> 00:34:54.719
Um obviously, you know, um, if they want if they feel like they want to donate, they can donate um whether it's a basket or or to the family.
00:34:55.039 --> 00:34:59.679
Yeah, we also have um, you know, if you don't have a tractor, that's perfectly fine.
00:34:59.840 --> 00:35:06.639
We do have um we of course we want to get as many tractors at the event as possible to make a really neat parade for Levi.
00:35:06.960 --> 00:35:13.679
Um, but also we'll have some some hay wagons that you know if you don't have a tractor, come on by yourselves and just drive in.
00:35:13.760 --> 00:35:16.480
We have some parking and join them in the hayride.
00:35:16.639 --> 00:35:19.119
So uh there is a small fee.
00:35:19.199 --> 00:35:27.119
There's a$20 charge for tractors to join the event and a$5 fee for hay riders, and that just helps cover insurance for the event.
00:35:27.360 --> 00:35:27.599
Sure.
00:35:27.760 --> 00:35:33.519
But yeah, happy to have anyone come and join in the hay ride um and just have some fun at days.
00:35:34.320 --> 00:35:35.119
Right through the countryside.
00:35:35.760 --> 00:35:41.280
Ride through the countryside, and we have uh hay wagons are covered with we put tarps over them and everything, and we'll have some water.
00:35:41.360 --> 00:35:44.000
So we try to make it as comfortable as possible that way.
00:35:44.320 --> 00:35:46.800
Did we talk about pedal tractors at all yet?
00:35:47.199 --> 00:35:48.000
No, we haven't.
00:35:48.159 --> 00:35:59.039
Yeah, there's yeah, so we're having like a little kid's tractor pole with pedal tractors, and that's just gonna be right out by where we eat and stuff like that.
00:35:59.119 --> 00:36:00.480
And so there'd be a little tent.
00:36:01.039 --> 00:36:02.639
That's gonna be that's gonna be fun, actually.
00:36:02.800 --> 00:36:04.000
Yeah, something for all ages.
00:36:04.320 --> 00:36:04.559
Yeah.
00:36:05.280 --> 00:36:09.519
I'm almost 50 years old, I can remember doing pedal tracker poles when I was a kid.
00:36:09.679 --> 00:36:09.920
Yeah.
00:36:10.159 --> 00:36:17.679
And just something if if if your children haven't done it, bring them out and it's something number for the rest of their lives.
00:36:17.840 --> 00:36:19.679
I mean, it's a lot of fun.
00:36:19.920 --> 00:36:20.480
We betcha.
00:36:20.880 --> 00:36:26.480
And we you know, we couldn't do all this without all the really generous support from the community.
00:36:26.719 --> 00:36:33.679
Um, some of the bigger ones, uh, Schmick Agency in AMRO did uh help help out with the event.
00:36:33.760 --> 00:36:39.760
Uh Park and Print helped a lot with printing and and things like that as far as promotion.
00:36:39.840 --> 00:36:43.440
Um, Ray Sanitation is helping out with some porta potties and things like that.
00:36:43.679 --> 00:36:51.039
UMR Rushford Fire Department always helps out with um kind of the route and logistics and things like that throughout the day.
00:36:51.119 --> 00:36:58.079
Um, of course, the the three founders of the event, Russ Kleinschmidt, who is still um helping out uh day-to-day.
00:36:58.159 --> 00:37:01.760
We we give him calls um, you know, how did you this in the past?
00:37:01.840 --> 00:37:05.360
And he's he's here to help this year as well, kind of getting things set up.
00:37:05.519 --> 00:37:09.760
And then we we got to thank you guys, of course, for having us in the podcast this year too.
00:37:10.000 --> 00:37:11.039
So our pleasure, yeah.
00:37:11.280 --> 00:37:18.000
Um yeah, and then we're leaving out a lot of different uh organizations that that really helped out this year, uh, big and small.
00:37:18.159 --> 00:37:20.639
So we appreciate everyone's support that way.
00:37:20.960 --> 00:37:24.559
Yeah, so July 18th, marker calendars.
00:37:24.719 --> 00:37:27.599
Um registration starts at 9 a.m.
00:37:27.920 --> 00:37:28.719
Is that what you said?
00:37:29.119 --> 00:37:29.440
Yep.
00:37:29.599 --> 00:37:32.400
Um registration will start at 9 a.m.
00:37:32.639 --> 00:37:38.239
uh on the 18th, and tractors will leave promptly at 11 a.m.
00:37:38.639 --> 00:37:44.400
And we're gonna be on about a 17-mile ride, so that'll probably take about an hour and a half.
00:37:44.559 --> 00:37:48.400
Um, so we'll be back here around 12:30, 12.45, I would think.
00:37:48.559 --> 00:37:53.039
Um, and from there we'll kind of kick off the the the picnic and the benefits.
00:37:53.199 --> 00:37:54.239
So wonderful.
00:37:54.480 --> 00:37:56.559
Um don't feel free to get here early.
00:37:56.639 --> 00:38:04.880
You know, you can get here around if you're not in the ride, you can get here around 12 o'clock and start um checking out baskets, and you might want to get here early to get your bids in.
00:38:04.960 --> 00:38:06.159
So yeah, we'll be excited.
00:38:06.400 --> 00:38:11.679
And if you want to come before 11 to uh jump on the hay wagon and and go for the ride.
00:38:11.920 --> 00:38:12.239
Correct.
00:38:12.320 --> 00:38:15.280
Yeah, if you want to join the ride, we we really encourage that.
00:38:15.360 --> 00:38:17.519
So get here before 11 o'clock because we'll be leaving.
00:38:17.679 --> 00:38:19.519
It's been a long time since I've been on a hay wagon.
00:38:19.679 --> 00:38:20.320
Yeah.
00:38:21.920 --> 00:38:22.079
Yeah.
00:38:22.559 --> 00:38:23.599
For sure, for sure.
00:38:23.760 --> 00:38:26.880
Well, thanks for taking the time to do the podcast with us.
00:38:27.119 --> 00:38:28.880
Um for great weather.
00:38:28.960 --> 00:38:34.239
We should probably mention also that if if it is raining, the 19th would be a rain date.
00:38:34.480 --> 00:38:42.239
We do, yeah, we do always hold a rain date in the event that there's a storm that's predicted that's gonna be you know shutting down the event.
00:38:42.400 --> 00:38:45.360
So um follow our Facebook page.
00:38:45.440 --> 00:38:47.280
Um, we will have we do have a website as well.
00:38:47.440 --> 00:38:50.239
Yep, omra ridenforreason.org would be our website.
00:38:50.719 --> 00:38:56.239
And then you can follow us on Facebook at Omra Riden for a Reason Benefit Tractor Ride.
00:38:56.400 --> 00:39:00.800
So that's where you can find us on Facebook, and we do post most of our updates on there.
00:39:01.039 --> 00:39:09.840
And um, yeah, keep us, especially if you see rain in the forecast, keep checking that to see um if we are going to reschedule, and we'll get the word out as best we can, other than that.
00:39:09.920 --> 00:39:12.960
But uh otherwise, plan on the 18th, we'll we'll have everyone there.
00:39:13.119 --> 00:39:14.000
So awesome.
00:39:14.239 --> 00:39:16.400
Well, thank you guys for all your hard work.
00:39:16.480 --> 00:39:20.880
You know, putting events on like this is no small feat.
00:39:21.039 --> 00:39:26.880
You know, it takes a lot of work and you know, a lot of volunteers and um it's admiral.
00:39:26.960 --> 00:39:35.119
I mean, it's helps the community, helps you know, it's gonna help you guys family and you know families for years to come, I'm sure.
00:39:35.199 --> 00:39:36.880
So thank you for what you guys do.
00:39:37.119 --> 00:39:37.599
No, thank you.
