By Shannon Rabotski

For the Times

MONROE — Tractor pulls have been a part of the Hawthorn family for three generations, but they never expected the pastime to become such a large part.

Twelve years ago, Mark Hawthorn decided to put on a tractor pull at Albany Farm Technology Days with his family and drew a crowd of 3,600 people. Since then, the pull has grown, bringing in over 5,000 spectators each year. They expect a larger crowd this year. 

Realizing that the pull generated a large profit, with over $18,000 made the first year, Hawthorn decided to create a nonprofit dedicated to serving Green County.

With the pull as its primary source of funding and over 100 local sponsors, the Green County Fall Nationals has helped hundreds of families in and around Green County, donating a total of over $400,000 to families and individuals in need. 

The Green County Fall Nationals find individuals and families in need through recommendations and works tirelessly to ensure the donations go to those who need aid the most. The organization aims to help in ways that typically would not be thought of.  

“We’ve done so many things that you would never think are how you give,” Hawthorn said.  

Just recently, the group paved a driveway for the family of Dean Walz, a former Albany firefighter, who was injured when he fell over 60 feet after a boom truck snapped while he was working to trim trees in southeast Dane County. The paving allowed Walz, who utilizes a wheelchair, easier access to the garage and the outdoors.

The Green County Fall Nationals has helped people in Green County in many ways, from donating to families struggling with health expenses or grief to helping a boy in Belleville get prosthetic legs.

From May 2017 to May 2018, the group has donated over $50,000 to Green County families, making it a record year for them. The Fall Nationals likes to keep its donations local by supporting sponsors in its use of donations. The group has more than 100.

“They’re just such an amazing bunch of people and without them we couldn’t be doing what we’re doing,” Hawthorn said. 

In July 2017, the group gave $5,000 to the Green County Child Advocacy Center to aid the organization in providing on-site forensic interview training. Local officers can be shown how to properly interview children about physical or sexual abuse. Coordinator Stephanie King said she was “beyond impressed” at the time that the group donated half of the cost to conduct the training for roughly 30 people.

They nonprofit raises this money by selling tractor pull tickets at $15 each. If tickets are bought in advance, on sale July 23, the purchasers are entered into a drawing. Ticket-holders can win prizes that total over $10,000, with a 42-inch zero turn mower as this year’s grand prize. 

The Green County Fall Nationals pull will be from noon to 7 p.m. Sep. 22 at the Green County Fairgrounds grandstands. After the pull, country band Madison County will put on an outdoor concert.

Hawthorn said his family continues to use the Green County Fall Nationals to give back to the community because their impact helps them realize the importance of helping others with the hope those will pass along the favor. 

“It’s just neat to see that a sport that we have had passion for our whole life, that it’s the reason why we can help out,” Hawthorn said.