Cross-country journey to include parade in Kennett Square on Sunday
A parade of classic, antique tractors of all colors, models, and makes will be led through Kennett Square on Sunday by a Honey Brook man in a specially modified 1948 John Deere, dubbed the “Johnabilt” for its retrofitted 1984 Peterbilt cab.
C. Ivan Stoltzfus, a retired farmer and auctioneer, plans to drive his tractor across the United States to raise money and awareness for veterans through “Across America For Wounded Heroes,” an initiative of the Wounded Warrior Project, a veterans’ service organization that focuses on those injured in the line of duty on or after Sept. 11, 2001.
The parade, which will begin at 2 p.m. and is expected to last about an hour, will also feature an honor guard from the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, antique military equipment, POW motorcycle escorts, and more.
The procession will begin at the Exelon parking lot, head toward the center of town, and end at the First Baptist Church, 415 W. State St. Through Kennett Square, Stoltzfus will be joined by a local John Deere club, the Waterloo Boys of Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Kennett Square Police Chief Edward A. Zunino said First Baptist Church Pastor Jim Olsen is a member of the Waterloo Boys, organized the Kennett Square event, and will be is assisting Stoltzfus throughout his journey. The streets of the central business district through town will be closed from Willow to Lincoln Streets until the end of the parade, Zunino said.
Stoltzfus’s journey started April 26 in Manasquan, N.J., and will end on the Pacific coast in central California. His goal is to raise $1 million for the Wounded Warriors Project. Interested parties can track Stoltzfus’s journey at http:helpamericanheroes.com.
