Have you ever wanted to see the inside of a fire truck? Meet your hero? Maybe honk the horn or ignite the sirens?
Well, the Moose Jaw Early Years Family Resource Centre has the event for you, as they are bringing back their Touch A Truck event for the second year.
Kids of all ages will be able to come out to the Moose Jaw Events Centre on Saturday and get up close and personal with some mighty machines.
“For the most part, kids are allowed to climb on them and go in them,” says Christine Boyczuk, the resource centre’s literacy coordinator. “The drivers were awesome last year at planning little things to do. For example, the ambulance driver would invite the kids to lie down so they get an experience on what it might be like.”
The event will run from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, and there will be machines and trucks both inside and outside the events centre.
“Ambulance, fire, and school buses have all been invited to attend. We have invited city vehicles. There have been a huge number of companies that were great last year and I’m sure will participate,” adds Boyczuk.
She can’t confirm the exact number of trucks, vehicles, and machines as they are still finalizing that list.
Besides the abundance of trucks for kids to touch, the event also will include a variety of crafts to keep them busy.
In addition, the resource centre will be giving each kid that attends a book to take home with them.
As mentioned, this will be the second year of the Touch A Truck event, and Boyczuk mentioned that bringing this event back means a lot to her and those involved.
“The families are excited, and the families have asked is it coming back? We are excited that the kids and their families are excited, they thought it was a really good event. The [Moose Jaw] Events Centre deserves special credit; they treated us so well and they donated their profits to the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. That is such a great initiative.”
The display will be set up on the 1st Ave NW side of the Moose Jaw Events Centre along with some vehicles in the Moose Jaw Curling Centre, and all children will need to be accompanied by an adult parent or caregiver. A concession will be available for those attending that will offer food and drinks.
The event is being put on in partnership with the Moose Jaw & District Chamber of Commerce, Literacy Network Moose Jaw, OVG 360, and the Moose Jaw Public Library. Craft tables will be set up as well to entertain the kids by some of the event's partners.
Nearing the end of the event there will be a sensory-sensitive time from 2:30-3:00 p.m., where the sirens, horns, and lights will all be turned off to allow for more of a quieter time for parents and kids.
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