Monday May 14, 2007

 

 

Sunday’s Make-A-Wish Parade

Listed as the world’s largest truck convoy!  This is a large fund raiser for children with serious illnesses.

 

We were up early (4:30 AM) and stopped by our son’s house to pick up Josh and Jana to prepare for our day.  After arriving at the TFC office, they quickly picked their bunks in the chapel tractor.

Josh and Jana have watched the parade since they were babies, because their other grandma lives along the route – the reason we invited them to go along.

 

TFC has never entered a chapel – because it has been years since we had a promotional rig in this area – and Cerwin didn’t have it finished by last year’s parade.

 

We got to the place where all the trucks were meeting about 7:00 AM and set up the steps.  We were so pleased with the location given us – for viewing and morning worship.

 

Each driver went to the registration table for their banner.

 

There were 400+ (we didn’t hear the exact count yet) beautiful rigs and emergency vehicles.

 

 

John and Karen Rissler were pleased to be assigned a parking spot – right in front of the chapel – and were our first visitors.

 

Cerwin led singing for the two fifteen-minute worship services we offered in the chapel.

 

Bunny O’Hare, Director of Chaplains, brought a short message during each service.

 

I was a bit surprised – when between services – this clown came up to me and hugged me!  He is a son of friends of ours (Mark Nolt and his family).

 

He asked the children if they would like a “brownie” or “brown E”.

 

We had a great location among the trucks and were pleased with the number of visitors and contacts.

 

More trucks

 

A fancy paint job

 

Trucks began moving right on time – 1:30 PM

 

Cerwin and John visit while waiting for our turn to leave

 

I like John’s mudflaps

 

We were surprised to discover the truck our son Jeff drives was parked only a few rows away from us.  Jeff was not in the parade – the night driver was at the wheel.

 

It was finally John’s time to move.  We thought we would be following him, but due to the lineup of parked vehicles – we were a few trucks behind him.

 

We had never been in the parade, so were surprised at all the people who came out to watch.

 

 

Rear view mirror

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another rear view

 

 

Partway through the route we began to see the returning trucks.

 

Getting off an exit ramp

 

 

Looking back on the exit ramp

 

Going through Akron and Ephrata

 

 

 

 

Our biggest sidewalk fans were in Ephrata!

Our son Jere and daughter-in-law Kristen (Josh and Jana’s parents) her mother, and our grandsons Ian and Jared.

 

 

A few blocks later – the end of the parade – was filled with people

 

 

After this it seemed strange to just be a truck on the road – with very few people on the side of the road, as this is where each truck went their own way.

~~~

It was a great day!