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VICTOR — Visitors to Victor’s Fun Days Saturday were treated to a car show, inflatables, rolle bolle and a bags tournament, but only one event raised money for the city’s fire department.
Iowa Interstate conducts train rides throughout the state and in Illinois every year to raise money for fire departments. The fundraisers began after firefighters responded to an Iowa Interstate Railroad derailment several years ago.
In October of 2023, an Iowa Intestate engine pulled five Pullman cars, dating to 1928, from Marengo to Victor and raised about $9,000 for the Marengo Fire Department and marengo Community Development.
Iowa Interstate contacted the Marengo Fire Department about conducting a fundraiser after an explosion and fire at the C6-Zero plant in Marengo in December 2022, said Corienne Dally, Marengo Community Development at the time.
Dally was also on hand Saturday in Victor to help with its event. Saturday’s three rides sold out, said Dally, and she expected that, after expenses, the Victor fire department might end up with $12,000.
The Iowa Interstate train rides showcase small towns and keep money circulating by bringing visitors to rural towns, said Dally.
The Iowa Interstate train rides usually accompany a town event. In the case of Victor, the rides corresponded with Victor Fun Days.
Sarah and Cole Lahndorf, of Hartwick, took their children Madelyn and Mason on the ride. They’ve been on trains before, they said, and look for opportunities to ride the rails.
Chris Donaldson, of Montana, stepped off the train holding his nephew Emmett Faga, of Victor. Emmett’s mom, Devann, said the family has taken train rides several times, but young Emmett was taking his first ride.
“He did really well with it,” said Devann. “It was nice and cool for us.”
Though temperatures rose into the 90s, train passengers said the breeze coming in the open windows made the ride comfortable.
Cory Timm, assistant chief for Victor Fire Department, said this was the first Iowa Interstate fundraiser for Victor. Someone from Iowa Interstate contacted the city, and the city decided the details, such as how many trips they would sell tickets for and what the ticket price would be.
The fire department provided volunteers to take tickets, help with parking and help passengers on and off the train.
The event was “a pretty good joint effort,” said Timm. “We’ve always had a pretty good community.”
The proceeds aren’t earmarked for anything specific, said Timm, but the fire department tries to keep up on things it needs. “We just bought a new truck a couple of years ago,” said Timm, and it recently had to remodel the kitchen due to a plumbing problem.
The Victor Fire Department often helps with incidents on Interstate 80 and on the railroad, said Timm. Sometimes new gadgets are needed as technology advances.
“Funds like that help keep us up to speed,” said Timm.
Andy and Ashley Walter, of Victor, took their little boy, Dawson, on the 9 a.m. ride. “He had a great time,” said Ashley.
Dawson enjoyed pointing out the window, said Andy.
He loved the horn and seeing the cars on the highway that he could wave to, said Ashley.
Volunteers act as conductors for Iowa Interstate during the fundraisers. Among the volunteers in Victor Saturday were Bill Nelson, Ken Roehrs and Ron Rahn, who also worked the train rides in Marengo in 2023, and Les Kline.