by Kathy Gandolfi
A CONVOY of trucks will wind their way from Penola to Mount Gambier tomorrow in the interests of making children happy this Christmas.
An annual event conducted by the Mount Gambier Family Truck Show Inc., the convoy will begin at Penola with truck drivers being encouraged to join together for a breakfast from 7am at the Penola showgrounds.
The trucks will leave Penola at 9.30am and drive south on the Riddoch Highway at 80kmph with a police escort to Mount Gambier.
The convoy is expected to reach Mount Gambier by 10.15am and complete its run around the city by 11.15am.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the convoy ended at the Mount Gambier Showgrounds with a Truck Show and Family Fun Day, however this was not possible last year due to Covid-19 restrictions and uncertainty surrounding the pandemic has caused the organising committee to defer it again this year.
The last show, in 2019, attracted more than 4,500 people and enabled the committee to donate $12,000 split between seven organisations including ac.care, Give Me Five For Kids, 5GTRFM, Sunset Kitchen, the Mayor’s Christmas Luncheon, Ski for Life and Four Reasons Why.
Despite not being able to host the Truck Show in 2020, more than $2,000 was again donated by the event’s organising committee to ac.care and a further $1,200 to Sunset Kitchen.
Two events for children were also hosted during the year by the Mount Gambier Family Truck Show Inc., including a family day at Kaboom Entertainment facility, which was enjoyed by 80 children and family members, and a movie day at the Oatmill Cinema enjoyed by 108 people.
The organisation runs fundraisers and accepts donations and sponsorship throughout the year.
Some of the trucks tomorrow will be carrying toys and other items donated by people from within the trucking industry along with other individuals and businesses.
Chairman of the Mt Gambier Family Truck Show Inc, Peter Burchell said these items will be provided to community welfare organisations to be distributed to children and families in need this Christmas.
“The convoy is in recognition of the trucking industry as a major part of the south east and how big a part the industry plays in all our day to day lives directly or indirectly,” said Peter Burchell, Chairman of the Mt Gambier Family Truck Show Inc.
“Especially at this time of year, this industry convoy is helping to provide funding to help those people who need it; people in our community that are not as fortunate as others.”
