Volunteers save Mechanicsburg’s 21-year New Year’s Eve wrench drop
By AJ Sisson
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MECHANICSBURG, Pennsylvania (WGAL) — The Mechanicsburg New Year’s Eve wrench drop is on tonight, continuing a 21-year tradition in Mechanicsburg that nearly did not happen this year.
“I announced we’re going to do it. And then, it just unfolded, and I said, ‘I can’t do this by myself,'” said Darrell Westby, organizer of the Mechanicsburg NYE Wrench Drop since 2004.
Since 2004, Westby and his wife have organized the Mechanicsburg wrench drop, but this year is different because of recent personal losses and health issues.
“The wife passed away last year, and that’s made a big change,” said Westby.
On top of lung cancer surgery in October of this year, and his son recovering from a motor vehicle accident, Westby could not organize the wrench drop all on his own.
Westby posted to Facebook on Dec. 10 that he canceled the wrench drop, before a Mechanicsburg husband and wife stepped in to help.
“Our initial reaction was we were rather sad,” said Joseph Kattermann, the new wrench drop organizer who moved to the borough in 2022. “My wife and I saw it, we kind of just looked at each other at the kitchen table and said, ‘Hey, you know what? We need to do the right thing, keep this going.'”
“I’ve told the couple that’s taking over there’s a lot of work. It’s a full-time job year-round,” said Westby.
Less than 24 hours after the cancellation post, Westby made a new post that the wrench drop would continue, and the wrench now waits to be hoisted on Main Street. Volunteers at the Mechanicsburg Fire Department will help set up Main Street and raise the wrench with a ladder truck, as they’ve done for the last four years, to keep the tradition alive.
“We’re doing our best to have our members help out, labor-wise. To help Darrell, you know, give his last send off here and help him out to make this a good New Year’s for him,” said Ricky Martini, vice president of the Mechanicsburg Volunteer Fire Department.
The wrench symbolizes the mechanics who lived in the borough during the late 1700s, where in 1828, the borough officially donned the name “Mechanicsburg.” The drop started in 2004 after an Eagle Scout, Sheldon Rogers, came up with the idea to celebrate the new year and commemorate those who helped build the town.
A small commemorative wrench is made every new year with the year it will turn printed on it, and it will also be available for attendees to take home.
“Seeing the history that’s behind it. There’s a lot of responsibility with that. So we’re looking forward to bringing it forward,” said Kattermann.
“It’s gratifying to know that the community does recognize the wrench drop, and they want it to continue,” said Westby.
Roads on Main Street will close at 8 p.m., with events including a live band, a DJ and kids’ activities starting at 9 p.m., and the big wrench drop at midnight.
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