Trucker Buddy Of The Month November 2005
For Immediate ReleaseMultiMedia`s November Trucker Buddy of the Month
Waupaca, WI: When the students in Maria Berry`s class at Nashua (NH) Children`s Home heard that Walter Brown would be their Trucker Buddy, they weren`t sure if he would care enough to write to them. Their first driver let them down by not responding to their letters, so they were not only discouraged, but they felt rejected by another adult in their young lives. These students were already challenged by severe emotional and behavioral disorders, and rejection was something they often experienced.
Trucker Buddy Walter called the students and promised them that he wouldn`t let them down. He has not only lived up to his promise, but he has become a good friend and mentor to the children. "He has followed through every time," according to Ms. Barry, "every time he assures the students that he`s going to be there for them, writing and calling and caring." Ms. Barry said that the students have learned that there are some adults who can be counted on, and she added that the children feel special because of Walter`s consistent encouragement, and "this is a gift priceless beyond words."
The students nominated Walter for this award, and in Amanda`s letter she wrote about how important his friendship was to the class. "Most kids feel nervous to share their feelings with other kids or adults, so they share them with Walter and he really does listen," she stated. Her letter included the comment, "What kind of Trucker Buddy would come all the way from Maryland to visit us? Walter did!"
Walter Brown has made an impact on these children by adopting their class through the Trucker Buddy program in April of 2006. He is a company driver for Cowan System, LLC in Baltimore and lives in Owen Mills, Maryland. He is one of nearly 4,000 professional drivers who share their time with elementary classes throughout the world. The only criteria to be a Trucker Buddy is to be a truck driver and willing to send a post card each week to a class in grades two through eight. Drivers and teachers can find out more about the program by visiting www.truckerbuddy.org or calling 1-800-MY BUDDY.
Each Trucker Buddy Driver of the Month will receive a personalized jacket, along with a check for $300 to spend on the class and $200 in Trucker Buddy merchandise, compliments of MultiMedia (www.tmi-multimedia.com), the advertising agency of choice for the trucking industry. He will also receive an IdleAire adaptor (www.IdleAire.com) and a Koolatron cooler as well as Donde Publishing`s "For the Long Haul," reference guide for drivers and an Accident Photo pack. The class will receive a CrossCountry USA game from Ingenuity Works (www.ingenuityworks.com), which will help them learn more about how trucks move freight across the continent.
Trucker Buddy is dependent on corporate sponsors such as MultiMedia Advertising to fund the program. Major contributors include Diamond level: J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc., Gold Level sponsors, ArvinMeritor, American Trucking Assocation, Delphi, Freightliner, Kenworth, Penray and Wal-mart and Silver Level sponsor, Bridgestone/Firestone along with our media partners, OTR/ProTrucker & InsideTrucking.com, Gears, Guts and Glory Magazine, Randall Media, TransCore, Driving Force/rpm, IdleAire, OTR-Canada Magazine, Midnight Trucking Radio, Steve Sommers Show, Mike Ryan Motorsports, TruckDriver.com, CCJ, Riggs & Recruits, and TruckFLIX.com. Interested sponsors can contact Ellen at Trucker Buddy International or by calling 1-800-MY BUDDY.
