In an attempt to maintain Guinness Book of World Record status, law enforcement and truckers throughout the United States and Canada will join forces to hold the World’s Largest Truck Convoy (WLTC), on September 13th. Interstate 64 and I-265 Expressway will be lined with an expected 100 or more trucks as they perform a convoy to celebrate their support of the athletes of Special Olympics.
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Special Olympics athletes give the truckers a sendoff at the start of the 2007 World's Largest Truck Convoy for Special Olympics. |
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The WLTC, is an international fundraising and awareness event that creates a unique partnership between law enforcement and truckers to raise funds for Special Olympics so they can continue to train in year-round sports activities. Officers involved in the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics have made the WTLC one of their many annual signature events and will escort the Convoy participants. The event in will unite more than 2,000 truckers in 34 States and 3 Provinces, and raised more than $680,000 in 2007.
The Kentucky leg of the World's Largest Truck Convoy hopes to attract more than 100 trucks this year that will traverse a 35 mile route that starts and ends at Southeast Christian Church where there will be a community celebration event thatincludes live music by the Rivoli Revue. Area athletes, families, and supporters will be on hand to help share a community wide message that says "Thank you for your support of Special Olympics athletes and for keeping our community moving!"
The Convoy is actually a two-day celebration of truckers and Special Olympcis. Trucks begin to arrive at the Southeast Christian parking lot on Friday night and there will be activities that include a softball game between Special Olympics athletes and the truckers. The game will be followed by live music and dinner. Saturday morning includes a live auction and the convoy as well as a post convoy celebration and lunch.
Trucking companies and truckers who want to participate in this year’s WLTC event can download and complete theRegistration Form for Kentucky's WLTC. The minimum donation to participate in the convoy is $100 per truck and any semis, truck/trailer combinations, large trucks, low boys, flat beds or box trucks 10 GVW can participate. Each participating driver will receive a goody bag with souvenir WLTC T-shirt, hat and lunch at the event. Trucking companies in Kentucky will be invited to bid additional funds in a live auction to earn coveted VIP spots at the start of the convoy or to serve as the tail truck.
Registration will be open on Friday September 12th from
5 pm - 10 pm for any trucks laying over in the lot at Southeast. On September 13th convoy registration will be open from 7am- 8:45 am. The Convoy will depart at 9 am on Saturday September 13th and the trucks will return to the lot at Southeast for the community celebration and lunch.
Everyone is invited to attend the event at the Southeast Christian Church parking lot located at 920 Blankenbaker at I 64. There will be law enforcement specialty unit static displays and show trucks to view and concessions will be available. For more information about the Convoy, contact dave Kerchner at 326-5002 or 800-633-7403 or via e-mail at dkerchner@soky.org.
The 2007 Kentucky edition of The World's Largest Truck Convoy, held in Louisville on Saturday, Sept. 15, showed trememndous growth from the first year. The event brought together almost 100 truckers who combined to raise more than $25,000 for Special Olympics Kentucky programs.
The WLTC was conceived in 2001 by Corp. Norm Schneiderhan special project coordinator for the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Florida. Schneiderhan, who drove a truck for about three years in his father’s trucking company before he entered the field of law enforcement, launched the event for Special Olympics as a way to call attention to the organization among truckers.
