PROJECT PAY IT FORWARD held its 2nd annual Heavy Equipment Rodeo on Saturday, Aug. 18 in Durand. This year, 24 confident equipment operators participated, with Rob Wheaton (shown with trophy), an employee of Ric Man Construction and a member of Operating Engineers 324, taking home the overall top prize. The money generated at this year’s rodeo will be used to help families throughout Shiawassee County.
Through Project Pay It Forward (P.P.I.F.), the Great Lakes family of businesses – including Great Lakes Fusion, Great Lakes Ready Mix, Great Lakes Fabrication & Machining, Exotic Concrete Creations, Great Lakes Precast Products and Great Lakes Rental & Supply – has donated more than $45,000 in cash, food and bicycles to Shiawassee County residents since 2013.
P.P.I.F. has donated more than 60 full Thanksgiving dinners to local families and more than 100 bikes to children since 2013, along with multiple donations to the Shane Cantu Memorial Scholarship Fund, the Shiawassee Hunger Network and needy local families, among other worthwhile causes.
Rodeo participants competed in several events, including a dozer course, a mini excavator course and a skid steer course.
(Courtesy Photo)
