Big Truck Day
ZELIENOPLE — While more than 200 adults and children attended Big Truck Day on Saturday at Zelienople Community Park, don't think the young fans of the heavy duty steel vehicles were all boys.
“My mom brought me because she knows I like trucks,” said Olivia Borkovic, 5.
Fire, dump, bucket, delivery, tractor-trailer and cement trucks plus an ambulance, police car, campers, a crane, a backhoe and even a helicopter delighted scores of children as they climbed around in the vehicles and occasionally blew their horns.
Olivia most enjoyed the helicopter.
“It has wheels and propellers,” she said.
Olivia and her mom arrived at Big Truck Day in time to see the helicopter land.
“It was loud,” she reported.
Olivia hopes to be a firefighter when she grows up.
“To save people,” she said.
Bret Myers, a patrolman with the Zelienople Police Department, was happy to allow Olivia and all the other children to check out the inside of his patrol car.
“They all want to sit inside and play with the buttons,” said the smiling patrolman.
Myers said it's important that kids interact with police officers at an event like Big Truck Day so they will not be afraid of them.
“It shows kids we're approachable,” Myers said. “A lot of people feel they can't come up to us when we're riding around or sitting somewhere.”
He also appreciated interacting with the parents, which he said forms a bond between the police and the community.
“We go to work like everyone else,” Myers said. “Unfortunately, our job is a little more dangerous than many others.”
Dylan Anglum, 6, enjoyed all the trucks, plus a frozen yogurt at one of the concession stands.“The police car was my favorite,” he said.Dylan learned that one feature was common among all the vehicles at the park.“I learned there are so many buttons,” he said.Maddox VanDeusen, 3, especially enjoyed Myers' patrol car, as he wants to be a policeman when he grows up.“I'll arrest bad guys,” Maddox said.He received a plastic firefighter's hat when he visited the fire truck, and also enjoyed the backhoe, dump truck and school bus.“And I just love the crane,” Maddox said. “It lifts up wood.”Judy Caldwell, an EMT with Harmony EMS, gave coloring books, bookmarks, temporary tattoos and treats to the youngsters who clambered into the back of her ambulance to check out the inside.“They all like to sit on the stretcher and put their feet up,” she said.Caldwell said she loves to interact with the children and their families, but thinks it is important for kids to see inside the ambulance.“That way the kids are not afraid of it,” she said.Kim Geidel, a driver with Valley Lines, welcomed delighted youngsters onto her full-size school bus.“The preschoolers are all so excited to see where they're going to ride in a year or so,” she said. “They're amazed at how big it is and they all want to sit in the driver's seat and touch the buttons.”Geidel said she didn't hesitate to bring the bus to Big Truck Day on Saturday.“I love being with the children,” she said. “It's a great part-time job.”Nancy Hoffman, a park volunteer who sat at the entrance collecting the $3 entry fee, was amazed at the turnout.“I think since the sun came out, people decided to come,” she said.Feedback from the youngsters was all positive.“They want to see the helicopter and they love going in the trucks,” Hoffman said.All proceeds from Big Truck Day benefit the Zelienople Community Park.
