One hundred thirty trucks participated
Charlotte, N.C. – Law enforcement and truckers throughout the United States and Canada joined forces to hold the World’s Largest Truck Convoy on Sept. 20, 2014. North Carolina hosted a leg of the Convoy in Charlotte at the PNC Music Pavilion. A total of 130 trucks participated and $40,000 was raised, according to Keith L. Fishburne, Special Olympics North Carolina president/CEO.
“The support for Special Olympics from the trucking industry and the drivers was terrific,” said Keith L. Fishburne, president/CEO of Special Olympics North Carolina. “We are so appreciative of the truckers and law enforcement officers who took the time to make this event a huge success!”
The local leg of the World’s Largest Truck Convoy (WLTC) is part of an international event which attracted more than 2,000 truckers in more than 30 states and two Canadian provinces. Truckers in North Carolina traveled 28 miles in Charlotte and then celebrated with local Special Olympics athletes during lunch. The bidding for the Lead Truck designation was won by event sponsor Con-way Freight. Con-way Freight collected more than $1,050 from employees and paid a total donation of $5,273 to win the right to be the lead truck. Save-a-Load won the designation of the Last Truck with a $1,000 bid.
SONC athletes at the event were asked to vote for their favorite truck. The first place trophy in the Athlete’s Choice contest went to R&L Carriers “Eyes of Freedom” Truck. Second place was awarded to the Special Olympics NC red mixer by Concrete Supply. The Early Bird Award which was given to the driver who arrived at the Convoy first was awarded to Con-way Freight.
The WLTC began in 2001 by Corp. Norm Schneiderhan, special project coordinator with the Orange County Sheriffs Office in Florida. Schneiderhan, who drove a truck for about three years in his father’s trucking company before he entered the field of law enforcement, launched the event for Special Olympics as a way to call attention to the organization among truckers.
The North Carolina Truck Convoy event sponsors included: Guardian Sponsor-AAA Carolinas; UPS, Con-way Freight, Quality Custom Distribution Services, Commscope, SAIA, Concrete Supply, McGirt Trucking, Old Dominion Freight Line, Coca-Cola Bottling Co. CONSOLIDATED, PNC Music Pavilion, Ryder Trucking, Sticky Fingers Smokehouse, Sonny’s BBQ, Chick-fil-A, and Jim ‘N Nicks Bar-B-Q.
About NC Law Enforcement Torch Run
The Law Enforcement Torch Run is an international fundraising event for Special Olympics. Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and competition for more than 4.2 million children and adults who have intellectual disabilities. Nearly 40,000 athletes participate in Special Olympics in North Carolina, making it one of the largest Special Olympics programs in the world.
The Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics is officially endorsed by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Sheriff’s Association, the North Carolina Sheriff’s Association, the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, the National Association of School Resource Officers, NC Association of School Resource Officers, NC Department of Justice and the NC Department of Public Safety.
About Special Olympics North Carolina
Special Olympics North Carolina offers year-round sports training and competition for nearly 40,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities. These athletes inspire greatness through their success and provide motivation to the thousands of coaches, sports officials, local program committee members and event organizers involved in Special Olympics statewide. SONC offers Olympic-type competition in 19 sports on local and state levels. Visit Special Olympics North Carolina at www.specialolympicsnc.com. Engage with us on http://twitter.com/sonc_beafan; http://www.facebook.com/SpecialOlympicsNC and http://www.youtube.com/BeAFanSONC.
