By DEBBIE KELLEY, guest columnist
“We had a great time!”
I heard that phrase over and over during the Brown County Touch-A-Truck event held June 25. The pictures are proof that not only did the kids have a great time, but the parents and grandparents also enjoyed themselves.
You could see the smiles and hear the laughter over the boisterous sounds of sirens and horns of the event. It’s not often that an event is fun for the whole family, but a Touch-a-Truck event is unique as kids get to make noise — without getting in trouble — and adults get to ask questions and see firsthand how first responders use their vehicles to keep us safe.
More than 600 people attended our third Brown County Touch-A-Truck event, plus more than 70 volunteers helped everyone have a great time. We are so very thankful for the time given and the enthusiasm of our volunteers, truck guides and sponsors.
The truck guides and volunteers dedicated their Saturday to make sure this event was a success. Our sponsors helped us make sure the Brown County Weekend Backpacks will have a meaningful portion of the money needed to buy food for our hungry Brown County children in the coming year. The event surpassed the $10,000 goal for the event with donations given at the event and from our generous presenting sponsors: Duke Energy and SCI-REMC.
Platinum sponsors were Brown-Meadows Properties, Kelley Rentals, the Thompsons. Gold sponsors were C&C Equipment and Good Life Financial Advisors. Our silver sponsor was RE/MAX Team. Bronze sponsors were Michael Chamblee Architects, Keyed IN Property Mgt. and Pit Bull Leather.
We were ecstatic with the 40 vehicles brought to the event this year and attendees could feel the enthusiasm and energy of our truck guides. Our truck guides included: Access Brown County, Bender Lumber, Bill and Linda Todd, Bob Orman, Brown County Jeepers, Brown County Pollinators, Brown County Public Library, Brown County Schools, Brown County Sheriff’s Department, C&C Equipment, Cummins Engine, Doug and Julie Cauble, Electric Plus, Head Start, IU Health, Lloyd Wagler, Nashville Police, Performance Concrete Pumping, SCI-REMC, Shelby Materials along with Fruitdale, Hamblen, Jackson Township and Nashville volunteer fire departments.
Our new location at the Brown County Music Center really helped make this our best event ever plus Brown County Rotary volunteered at the event. The Seasons donated breakfast and Big Woods Pizza donated pizza for the volunteers while the Brown County Community YMCA provided signs and vests. Bob Gustin wowed young and old alike as the Cat in the Hat.
The Weekend Backpacks is an all-volunteer program that serves more than 100 children weekly during the school year and packed more than 16,000 meals in the last school year.
We are truly blessed in our community to have so many who give so much of themselves to help make Brown County better. Thank you and we hope to see you next year!
Debbie Kelley is a board member with the Brown County Weekend Backpacks, Inc. Debbie and her husband Tim retired to Brown County in 2016. She can be reached by emailing [email protected].
