Reach out … and Touch a Truck; Fundraiser brings out the kids and adults

By Eric Voorhis, News Staff Writer
Published: June 2, 2010 in the Lake Placid News.com
http://www.lakeplacidnews.com/page/content.detail/id/502500/Reach-out-----and-Touch-a-Truck--Fundraiser-brings-out-the-kids--and-adults.html?nav=5005

LAKE PLACID, NEW YORK - Some of the younger children looked concerned by the commotion, but for the most part, it was all smiles during Lake Placid's Touch-a-Truck event at the Lake Placid Horse Show Grounds on Saturday, May 22.

Touch-a-Truck, in its second year, gives kids - and parents - a chance to sit in the seats of some local heros and learn about trucks, construction vehicles and public safety vehicles - we're talking serious air horns and sirens, levers to pull and buttons to push.

The event was sponsored by the Lake Placid Kiwanis Club with all proceeds benefiting the Middle/High School After School Program, a not-for-profit organization that offers after-school care to the students of Lake Placid Elementary School.

"This is one of our major fundraisers for the year," said Kate Casler, treasurer of the Lake Placid Child Care Committee (LPCCC). "As you can see, we have a great turnout this year."

The after school program asked a admission price of $3 for children and $5 for adults at the gate and ended up raising roughly $1,000, according to Casler.

"It may seem like peanuts to some people," Casler said. "But for our organization this is huge."

According to Casler, the program offers afterschool care for a low tuition, and fundraisers such as Touch-a-Truck help to increase the number of children who can make use of after school care but can't afford it.

"It allows us to offer scholarships and also helps with the cost of any field trips," Casler said.

Although the event was a huge success, it was missing a key player, Kristen Boslet, director of the after school program, who could not attend for personal reasons.

"This has been her baby from day one," Casler said. "She did the work of about 20 people when she put this whole thing together."

Casler said that Boslet literally built the event from the ground up, coordinating nearly everything from getting more than 20 vehicles of all shapes and sizes to participate and also putting together giveaways and raffles.

"Without her none of this could have ever happened," Casler said.

Rows of tall trucks lined the parking lot of the Horse Show grounds as local musicians, including Gordy Sheer and Dave Fischer, threw some extra noise into the air to complement honking horns and blazing sirens.

Former Kiwanis Club President Glenda Mitchell, who was actively helping with this year's Touch-A-Truck event, stood in front of the stage as her daughter, Lucy Mitchell, sang with the band.

"This is such a great event," Mitchell said. "There are a lot of wonderful learning opportunities for kids ... about recycling, the sanitation department - and what kid doesn't love a dump truck."

There were 22 vehicles in total with volunteer participants from all realms, including vehicles from the Wilmington and Lake Placid Fire Departments, the Lake Placid Police Department, the Essex County Sheriff's Department, the Lake Placid Volunteer Ambulance Service, the Town of North Elba Highway Department and the Lake Placid Municipal Electric department.

In addition, local businesses such as Woodhill Electric, Central Garage, Northern sanitation and Casella Waste Management were on hand. Casler added that other local businesses donated food, and students from the Lake Placid Middle/High School showed up to help out and earn some community service hours.

Greg Graham, who works for the Village of Lake Placid, was standing next to a dump truck. He said it was the first year he had attended Touch-A-Truck.

"I think it's great," Graham said, looking around at the crowed. "Looks like some of the parents are having more fun than the kids."