The Challenge Continues to Grow
May 2001, Van Nuys, CA: "Shell ROTELLA® T has a long
history in promoting safety and sponsoring Ol' Blue®, USA is a
wonderful way to continue ensuring that children and their parents
can be as safe as possible on the road and around big rigs." This
is the statement of Earl Blanchette, Manager Commercial Products
for Shell Rotella T who during the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS)
presented a check in the amount of $10,000 to the Big Wheels,
Little Kids© safety program of Ol' Blue, USA.
Big Wheels, Little Kids is a school program incorporated into
the Ol' Blue, USA agenda, visiting schools throughout the nation,
providing students with education and the importance of safety
around large vehicles.
In November of 2000, TruckNet (www.trucknet.com), a division
of iFleet, Inc., presented the program with a donation of $10,000
at the Great American Truck Show (GATS) and made a challenge to
the industry to meet their donation. Since that challenge, others
have stepped forward with donated amounts including Truck Writers
of North America (TWNA) with $1,000 contribution, Loved Ones and
Drivers Support (LOADS) with a $500 contribution.
Also presenting a donation to the school program was Darren
Brewer of NetTrans (www.nettrans.com) in the amount of $1,000.
"NetTrans is proud to support the Big Wheels, Little Kids
School Program because of the unique learning experience it provides
to thousands of children in public schools across the country.
Being able to see Ol' Blue and interact with RJ Taylor is an exciting
and positive experience that children will remember for a lifetime."
Ol' Blue, USA does not solicit donations and contributions from
drivers, however on behalf of two drivers, Bill Elmore and Rikki
Chequer, TruckNet presented additional contributions to the program.
Both drivers, assisting in the booth responsibilities of TruckNet,
took it upon themselves to contribute their earnings from TruckNet
to the program.
"I believe in what RJ Taylor does very much, both with 'Ol
Blue USA, and with his school program. " Those are the remarks
of Bill Elmore, who witnessed first hand the presentation of the
Big Wheels, Little Kids program at MATS. "I have and will
continue to donate my time and knowledge, just as RJ, to promote
safety. If we can all convince others that safety is a concern
for us all, we can help reduce the number of injuries and deaths,"
states Bill Elmore. He continued to say,"Many others, as
well as my own family, are out there on the roads. I want to come
home to my family and have them come home to me. But all too often,
people forget that they are sharing the roads with the families
of others. In my job, I see more than I would care to. It saddens
me more than I can say when I have to do an accident investigation.
I find the cause of the Ol' Blue, USA programs useful to all,
to help save lives."
Rikki Chequer traveled from the UK to visit the USA and the
trucking show. On Thursday morning, Rikki witnessed over a hundred
school students partake in the Big Wheels, Little Kids program,
he witnessed the awe in the eyes of the children, the assistance
of various law enforcement agencies, all working together to save
lives. "This program to me was the greatest safety program
I've ever witnessed. If just one child's' life is saved, then
this program has validated itself many times over" recalls
Rikki. "Not only education, but a wonderful advertisement
for the transportation industry, all walks of life working together
to save lives."
Under the Ol' Blue, USA program, "Big Wheels, Little Kids" school
visitation program takes Ol' Blue' to schools to give students
an up close and personal view of trucking and the safety considerations
large vehicles and car drivers face. "Big Wheels, Little Kids"
information is also available on the Internet at www.olblueusa.org/schools/schools.html
is a registered
trademark.