Midwest Old Threshers Welcomes Happy Campers

MT. PLEASANT - Familiar faces, family and camaraderie - that's what campers at the Old Thresher's camp grounds say keep them coming back for the Midwest Old Thresher's Reunion, year after year. Campers, who often arrive a week or two before the Reunion, can be found lounging on lawn chairs outside of their RVs, chatting and catching up or meeting new people.

'You always walk away with a new friend,” Sandra Chrane, who traveled from Dudley, Texas to attend the festival, said about her experience. Sandra and her husband, Gary, arrived the Sunday before the event to meet up with some fellow Texans. Old Threshers will run from Aug. 28 to Sept. 2, 2019.

'We've come every three to four years since 2000,” the retired ranchers said. The Chrane's particularly enjoy the country concerts and the steam engines, but it's all about the people for them.

'We just love the people. It's all good people,” Sandra noted. The Chranes first became aware of the Reunion through friends and other ranchers in their area.

Parked next to the Chrane's camper are twins Steve and Dayrl Ingram, who are all smiles and friendly hugs.

'We've known each other for two days,” Steve exclaimed, clapping the Chranes on the back, with the familiarity and hospitality of a friendship that, from the outside, seems to have spanned much longer than just a weekend.

The Ingram twins traveled from Melford Center, Ohio and have attended Old Threshers intermittently since 1998.

'Our grandparents used to live in Mt. Vernon so we come back out here to go visit the home place and then come to the show,” Steve explained.

Even though Steve and Dayrl are the only of their family to attend Old Threshers, they say it's still a family reunion of sorts.

'My favorite parts are the steam engines and the camaraderie with people, it's like you know everybody. Everybody's a friend to you, especially if they like to talk.”

'I love to sit and watch the trolleys go by and visit people … it's like a family reunion … but if you don't like to talk, don't come,” Steve mentioned jokingly.

'We're all talkers!” Sandra announced.

Steve explained the appeal of the festival and what keeps him coming back, saying,' It's just a good old hometown event, it really is. Everybody's friends and you just meet good people here. The rest of it is a plus.”

For other campers like Wayne and Dee Johnson, attending Old Threshers is a family event that has spanned five generations, starting in 1955 - just five years after the Reunion began. The Johnsons have been involved with the event since the very beginning.

'My husband has been coming since he was 14 years old,” Dee noted.

'Wayne's father, Cecil Johnson, started the Traveling Tigers and began the [Old Threshers] camp grounds,” she explained proudly.

Their family's intimate history with the event keeps them coming, however, attending the festival is more than just tradition, for the Johnsons. It's a way to reconnect with friends and family. Although the Johnsons live just a short drive away in Danville, the festival still serves as a central meeting place for their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

'Our four kids are spread out. We've got one in Austin, Texas and my daughter comes from St. James, Missouri. We've got 19 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren and they generally all come.”

Their involvement with Old Threshers goes beyond just attending the exhibits and shows. Dee and Wayne begin making appearances in the camp ground in May and volunteer all through the summer with restoration projects and mowing the fields.

'We just help out where we can … you have to love it,” Dee explained. 'It's really about the camaraderie and seeing people, having a fun time.”

Camp grounds director Bob Myers has also attended Old Threshers for more than fifty years, 'We've been coming for 52 years in a row.”

Old Threshers also serves as a convenient reunion location for Myers' family, which includes 14 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

'Most every year, they all get out here.”

For Myers, his job is a labor out of love for the event and what it's given to him. Hailing from Williamsfield, Illinois, Myers began volunteering for the event in 1999 and hesitantly took up the camp ground director position four years ago.

'I can't say that I asked for the job but … the board thought I could do it so I decided to take up the mantle,” Myers, who has been in Mt. Pleasant since early May helping to prepare the camp grounds, noted.

'I usually spend about three months a year out here. I like doing projects and finishing projects.”

This year, the camp grounds will debut a completely renovated bathrooms as well as renovations to the church, which has had a need for 15 years. Coupled with the nice weather, Myers anticipates good attendance and for the camp grounds to reach peak capacity by the end of the event.

'We have about 700 campers right now. By the weekend, we will probably hit 1,350, which is about all that we can handle.”