Fundraiser puts children in the driver’s seat

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - A local high school drives money into helping families in the area.

Nettleton High School’s EAST program will host its 7th annual ‘Touch a Truck’ on Saturday, April 15, in the parking lot of Northeast Arkansas Baptist Memorial Hospital from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The student-led event, which benefits the nonprofit organization HopeCircle, will give children a chance to get their hands on fire trucks, monster trucks, racecars, and even helicopters.

Nettleton EAST student Mason Waln attended Touch a Truck when he was little, but now he has a different role at the event.

“When I was younger it was really fun, but now it’s like a job,” he said. “Because we have to do so much for it to get it set up and everything.”

Waln said students call businesses and individuals from all over NEA to fill the lot with different types of vehicles.

HopeCircle Program Manager June Morse said she thoroughly enjoys working with Nettleton’s EAST students year after year.

“Their commitment, dedication, and willingness to do anything that needs to be done is absolutely amazing,” she said.

HopeCircle provides a community of hope and support, free of charge, for families living with life-changing illnesses, according to the NEA Baptist Foundation. They provide wigs, hats, and scarves to patients who lose their hair because of treatment or disease.

“We have a resource center, lots of lending libraries, and we provide a lot of services to people who are at the cancer center having treatment,” Morse said.

Morse said last year alone, Touch a Truck raised about $8,000 for HopeCircle. The money was used to buy things like gas cards for patients who have to travel out of town to receive treatment.

Both Morse and Waln described the event as fun and exciting but also as a great hands-on learning experience for children.

In addition to the various vehicles, there are other activities like face painting, carnival-style games, and arts and crafts.

Tickets can be purchased at the event for $5 per person or $20 for families of five or more.

For more information regarding Touch a Truck, email Nettleton High School’s EAST teacher Sandra Taylor at sandra.taylor@nettletonschools.net.

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