Free Touch A Truck event returning to Windham

By Ed Pierce

Kids will enjoy the opportunity to explore vehicles of all types while parents will appreciate that the event is free as once again the Windham Lions Club will host its popular Touch A Truck event in North Windham next month.

The 7th annual Windham Lions Touch A Truck event will be
held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 12 in the parking lot
behind Hannaford Supermarket in Windham. The event is
free but donations benefit causes that the Windham Lions
Club supports throughout the year. COURTESY PHOTO

The 7th annual Windham Lions Touch A Truck will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 12 in the parking lot behind Hannaford off Route 302 in North Windham. Although admission is free, donations will be greatly appreciated as proceeds benefit a variety of Windham Lions Club programs year-round in the Windham community.

During this year’s Touch A Truck event, children and families will be able to climb into the cab of a fire truck, see the inside of a police car, explore land excavators, dump trucks, snowplows, cement mixers, and much more. There will be many large vehicles on hand from throughout the community for kids to inspect, climb into the driver’s seat, and honk the horn.

Free water will be supplied by Poland Springs to Touch A Truck participants and snacks will be available.

“As with all events we hold, all profits are returned to our Windham community,” says Bob Simmons of the Windham Lions Club. “One of our local businesses started us off with a gift to raffle off and others joined in. This added feature will hopefully help us to raise more money. Our intentions have always been that our Touch A Truck adds enjoyment to the children and their families that come to our event. However, the raffle could help us raise more funds as we try to help as many families as possible through our Adopt-A-Family program during the holidays as well as other activities throughout the year.”

Simmons says that members of the Windham Lions Club are grateful for the participation of Windham agencies and local businesses that have helped make this event possible.

“The Touch A Truck event provides a hands-on educational community event to see and touch the trucks and machinery used in the community and to meet the men and women who operate these machines,” Simmons said. “Participating vehicles will be displayed in a safe, supervised environment and it’s the perfect venue for exploring the machinery while learning about the people who build, protect and serve Windham.”

Former Windham Lions Club President Evelyn Brissett is credited helping to launch the event.

“I had done some research online and it seemed like Touch A Truck would be a fun way to interact with kids and people in our community,” she said. “We also want our community to be aware that the Windham Lions Club does exist and with everyone’s help we can make life a lot brighter for those less fortunate.”

Brissette said that since the Windham Lions Club staged its first Touch A Truck, the event has exceeded all expectations in terms of participation and the Windham community’s willingness to help others.

According to Simmons, the Windham Lions Club works throughout the year to uplift the community, such as providing Christmas gifts for local students and families in need and contributing donations for worthwhile school activities such as Odyssey of the Mind, and scholarships for Windham High School students.

He said that when Windham residents take an interest in their own community, and work together for a cause, they can make a significant difference.

All proceeds from this year’s Touch A Truck event, coupled with the club’s annual Stuff-the-Bus event in November will go a long way to helping those in need in Windham, Simmons said.

Since its founding, the Windham Lions Club has played a significant charitable role in the community, supporting a variety of causes and issues affecting the lives of residents.

Some of those include purchasing and manning Windham’s first rescue van in 1968; significant donations to the Windham Public Library; helping with expenses related to eye exams and eyeglasses for participants when they meet the Lions Club criteria; assisting with expenses related to hearing tests and hearing aids when they meet the Lions Club criteria; conducting RSU 14 eye screening with more than 5,500 students screened to date; sponsoring the “Student of the Month” program in local schools; Breakfast with Santa; the annual Stuff-the-Bus program with more than 10,000 pounds of food collected for those in need; supporting the Windham Veteran’s Center; and collecting used eye glasses and hearing aids for those in need. <