Staff Reports
The second annual Touch-A-Truck event, sponsored by the Brown County Weekend Backpacks organization, is scheduled 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 29 at the Brown County High School parking lot in Nashville.
At this free event everyone can see, touch and explore their favorite big trucks and learn what they do, how they work and how they help Brown County. Debbie Kelley, event organizer for the backpack program, said they have a lot more trucks this year, including fire trucks, a school bus, a concrete mixer, semis, a wrecker, motorcycles, race cars, a military truck and lots of tractors.
From 10 to 11 a.m. is “quiet hour,” where big motors, sirens, horns and other loud noises will not be permitted, so that anyone sensitive to loud noises can enjoy the event.
Admission is free because organizers did not want a charge to keep families from attending. But donations will be accepted, with all proceeds going to buy food to send home with children in the backpacks program. Suggested donations for those who can afford it are $5 per person or $15 per family.
Should inclement weather prevent the program from proceeding, Sunday, June 30 is a rain date.
Kelley said the emergency vehicles give kids a chance to interact with police, firemen, medics and others in a friendly and fun environment, so that if they are encountered later in life, kids may not be as afraid of the size, noise and power of the vehicles.
“It also gives kids a chance to shake someone’s hand and say thanks,” Kelley said. “These are our real heroes, police, firefighters and medics, of course, but also the highway department, construction workers and school employees who serve our community.”
Kelley said the backpack program is important because “kids can’t learn when they’re hungry.”
Eating well on weekends helps kids come to school on Monday ready to learn, she said. “Our goal is keeping hungry children fed with nutritious food all weekend long.”
The backpack program serves more than 140 children during the school year and packed more than 31,000 pounds of food in the past school year. Each child receives enough food for two breakfasts, two lunches and two dinners, plus two snacks and a piece of fresh fruit each weekend at no cost.
Two retired teachers started the program in 2014 when they saw the need: Breakfast and lunch is provided at school during weekdays, but weekends are not covered. More than 50 percent of students in the school system qualify for free or reduced lunches, Kelley said.
Brown County churches and individual donations cover about half of the food needed, but more than $17,000 of additional food must be purchased each year for the program. Kelley hopes to raise $8,000 with Touch-A-Truck.
In addition to the vehicles, Greg Marlett, CEO of Fresh Way Farm, will have a “traveling garden” on display, and the Masons club will be on hand to do free children’s fingerprinting and provide identification kits. The Brown County Literacy Coalition will hand out free books to children.
Kelley said none of the people, businesses and organizations are being paid for bringing the vehicles to the event, and all expenses are covered by event sponsors, including PNC bank, Duke Energy, Kelley Rentals, Brown-Meadows Properties, C&C Equipment, Brown County Inn, Bender Lumber, Bright & Williamson Insurance, Hillard Lyons, Linda and Bill Todd, Michael Chamblee Architects, REMAX, Brown County Dragway, Hobnob, Jenny Johnson, Keyed IN Property Mgt., Kristofer Sandgren, Pitbull, State Farm Insurance and The Salon.
“Food insecurity is an issue in many, if not all, communities,” said Duke Energy government and community relations manager Bruce Calloway. “Duke Energy is proud to support the efforts of Brown County Weekend Backpacks to address this with students.”
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Brown County Weekend Backpacks is a community-led program and 501(c)3, started in 2014, with the goal of keeping hungry children fed with nutritious food all weekend long.
This is an all-volunteer nonprofit that filled 4,342 bags this past school year with more than 15 tons of food. BCWB depends on this fundraiser to help offset the cost of food.
Board members include Jan Swigert, president; Gloria Berryman, treasurer; Sandy Ridenour, secretary; and Donna Niednagel, Linda Todd, Sandy Higgins, Teresa Brown, Debbie Kelley and Mark Lindenlaub.
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What: More than 30 trucks and other unusual vehicles will be on display and open to explore.
When: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 29. Rain date is Sunday, June 30.
Where: Brown County High School parking lot
Who: Sponsored by Brown County Weekend Backpacks
Why: To get kids familiar with different vehicles, public servants and occupations. Also, to raise funds for the backpack program, which provides free food to children in need over weekends.
Cost: Free. Donations to support the weekend backpacks mission are welcome.
Learn more: browncountytouchatruck.com
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