Sunday, Jun. 21, 2009

Voss family throws party for ill brother

"We're having a 40th birthday party for my brother, Klint," Steve Voss said, inviting me out. "Go north from Breese. You can't miss it."

He was right. The first tip-off when I drove by Saturday afternoon was the five-acre field full of parked cars. Then there were the 40 Minneapolis Moline tractors parked in double rows in the driveway.

The pony rides, the small scale Minneapolis Moline train, all the people in bright yellow Minneapolis Moline T-shirts and the music didn't hurt either.

When the Voss family (72 members strong) gives a party, it has a head start on a good crowd. The five brothers and six sisters in the family brought along kids, grandkids and lots of friends.

At 40, Klint Voss is exactly in the middle of the kids. He also is the only one with Huntington's Disease, a progressive brain disorder that is slowly getting worse.

"In 2002 he was in a truck accident and they diagnosed him," Steve said. "They promised him six good years and he still is going."

But the once husky man is thin and has difficulty controlling his movements. He can communicate with difficulty.

The family decided to give him a big party for his big birthday. The tractors were important because that is the brand the family uses and it is Klint's favorite as well.

"We put out the word on the Voss family Web site, contacted collectors and any time we saw a yellow tractor along the road stopped and asked them to bring it to us," Steve said. "We thought we weren't going to be able to get to 40 but exactly at 3 p.m. (when the party started) the last two pulled in the driveway."

The line up included the first one that Grandpa Theo Voss purchased right after World War II. Steve said the story is that he went to every tractor dealer around and put his name on a list. Whoever had the first one available he would buy and the family has been loyal since.

The Minneapolis Moline train was eight old riding lawn mower bodies converted into the brand and towed by a four-wheeler, yellow of course.

"We just finished that up this morning," Steve said. "It started out with two cars and just kept growing."

Even the golf cart in which Klint's son, Quinten, 14, drove him around was painted Minneapolis Moline yellow.

Steve said everyone pitches in to help their brother.

"He told us not to feel sorry for him," he said. "He said, 'I don't hurt. I'm in no pain.' He's really upbeat most of the time."

A temporary dance floor was built on the lawn and it included a tree limb swing for later in the evening.

"For swing dancing, of course," Steve said. "We generally have a good time when we get together. I don't know when this will end, but we'll probably be here until tomorrow."