Keep on Truckin’

Combining hands-on learning with community support

By Kylie Kaplan, Emiko Kuniyoshi, and Avila Payne, Online Editors and Sports Beat Editor

Blueprint Photos by Gavin Lee, Senior Photographer

 The Rotary Club of Lafayette hosted its annual “Keep on Truckin” event on Oct. 3 along Golden Gate Way. Attendees of all ages gathered to explore a variety of specialized motor vehicles up close. Most proceeds from the day went directly toward supporting the Monument Crisis Center, a local nonprofit that provides resources to families experiencing financial hardship.

   With their third annual “Keep on Truckin” event, the Rotary Club provides hands-on activities for children, such as exploring various trucks. 

   “Keep on Truckin’ is an event to introduce kids and their families to trucks of all sizes, all shapes, and all types,” event coordinator Larry Blodgett said.

   Many children find the chance to enter a vehicle most memorable. Rather than simply observing trucks from a distance, attendees can explore their interiors and interact with their features.

   “I love that they are letting the little guys go into the trucks and honk the horns and push whatever button they want,” community member and parent Amanda Morrey said. “I think [my son's favorite was] the garbage truck. He's been obsessed with trash trucks for a long time and this is the first time he's ever gotten to go inside one.” 

   Beyond the vehicles themselves, the event gives families a shared experience. Parents enjoyed watching children explore the vehicles and react to their features.

   “All these kids are super excited to see the truck,” Contra Costa Sanitary District HydroVat operator John Mitchell said. “I think it is more fun watching the parents take pictures of their kids. But the [kids] love the horns.”

   Organizing the event required coordination before the streets opened to the public. Vehicles were predetermined, assigned locations, and positioned in advance so attendees can safely explore them throughout the day.

   “When you're dealing with this many vehicles, and this many people, and this many people in the city, trying to get everybody to agree on one place, one time, and to show up when they're supposed to, where they're supposed to, is the most challenging,” Blodgett said.

  The event was hosted by the Lafayette Public Library, which allowed families to visit and admire ‘old Betsy’, an old Lafayette fire truck that is permanently on display. Additionally, the location allowed children interested in learning more about vehicles to access more resources.

   “The library provides an opportunity for children and their families to come in ... and check out books on trucks or other materials of interest,” Senior Community Library Manager at Lafayette Public Library Rob Tigget said.

   The event’s proceeds benefit the Monument Crisis Center. The partnership has generated contributions in previous years to support individuals and programs.

   “[Donations] will help us pay for our programs like after-school tutoring, for kids from first to eighth grade, and high school and beyond programs,” Development Department staff at the Monument Crisis Center Mary Tressel said. “We have a senior program called, Senior Breakfast, where they get to come and have breakfast and play bingo. We have lots of other programs that support people.”

   In addition to supporting the Monument Crisis Center, the Rotary Club aims to build community and create lasting impact worldwide through service and donations.

   “It's a great organization,” Blodgett said. “You don't have to be in business. You just have to want to get one way of getting back. Sometimes it's hard, as an individual, to know what to do, but when you join a group like Rotary, you can do local projects, you can do regional projects, or you can do international projects.”

   Keep on Truckin’ serves as one of several opportunities throughout the year to foster community.

   “I think that it is a great event because it brings people together,” Senior Community Library Manager at Lafayette Public Library Rob Tigget said. “It is an opportunity for young children to gather and meet each other and have a fun day together