1,000 Pull Army Tank To Raise Money For Wounded Warriors

CLIFTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Several thousand people spent Sunday in Clifton raising money for wounded military veterans -- while pulling a tank with their own hands.

As CBS 2's Vanessa Murdock reported, the Knights of Columbus held its fifth-annual Tank Pull Challenge on Sunday. Four thousand people were expected to attend -- 1,000 of whom were divided into teams pulling an 80,000-pound tank mounted on a flatbed truck with a rope.

Ninety percent of the proceeds from the fundraiser will go toward the Wounded Warrior Project and 10 percent to local veterans.

LINK: More Info On Tank Pull

In its first four years, the event raised a total of $611,000.

"We want to make sure we not only raise money for them, but also raise people's awareness," the Knights of Columbus' David Cordero said.

As CBS 2's Andrea Grymes reported, the Passaic County Sherrif's office won the event last year and was confident about their chances.

"It's a great organization, and it's a great event," said Passaic County Sheriff Richard Berdnik. "We're here to support our wounded warriors, and it's great that the community's here to come together for this event."

Bryan Dilberan, a member of the Army's 10th Mountain Division who lost his legs and left arm while fighting in Afghanistan, was a special guest for this year's event.

When asked if he had any advice for other veterans returning from war, he said: "Keep your head up. The fight's never over. There's always a fight coming. Just never quit."

Regina Mundi Council 3969, won the event.

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