On Saturday, May 20, the East Lyme Auxiliary of Child and Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut and the East Lyme Parks and Recreation Department will co-sponsor our tenth annual Touch A Truck. This family event will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at McCook Point Park in Niantic, CT.
In celebration of our tenth anniversary, LIFE STAR will be making a special appearance. The helicopter will land at McCook Park at 9 a.m. Then for two hours, children and their families will be able to learn about the LIFE STAR mission. At 11 a.m. they will be able to see the impressive take-off as the vehicle heads for its home base.
LIFE STAR is a critical care helicopter service that responds to and provides air transport for patients needing care at a tertiary care facility. LIFE STAR can travel at 155mph and become airborne within minutes. Its crew consists of a flight nurse, flight respiratory therapist, pilot, mechanic, and communication specialist.
LIFE STAR began operation in 1985. Its services are available to all emergency/critical care patients within a 150-mile radius. Approximately 1,200 patients are transported annually. This is a not-to-be-missed opportunity for families to see LIFE STAR up close and personal!
In addition to LIFE STAR the main event is, of course, trucks! Children will be able to climb, steer, blow horns, and imagine in an amazing array of vehicles. There will be a smoke truck, Dunkin Mobile, a wide variety of tow trucks, Channel 3 satellite truck, Humvee, paramedic van, police cruiser, two different limousines, US Navy’s patrol boat, US Coast Guard’s rescue boat, moving van, aerial lift truck, Reynolds Subaru, several Crest Ford trucks, a 1980 Checker Cab and a 1985 London Cab and more!
There will be over 50 trucks, including:
Crest Ford of Niantic-1930 Ford Truck and a 2017 Ford 150;
Yellow Cab Co. of CT-1980 Checker Cab and a 1985 London Cab;
Joshua’s Limousine-Two state-of-the-art limousines;
Two school buses: M & J Bus, Inc., and Winthrop STEM Elementary Magnet School;
Farm tractor and implement-Judges Perennials;
Cement Mixer-Kobyluck Ready-Mix, Inc.;
Boom trucks- Lenihan Lumber, W. J. Tree Service and Eversource Energy;
The Media-Channel 3 WFSB – Weather Tracker;
Big Fish Promotions-Dunkin’ Box O’Donuts;
Wide Variety of Tow Trucks – Compare and Contrast – Axle & Spindle Truck Repair, Tolland Automotive Ent Inc., Firmin’s Garage, Guy’s Oil;
Police Vehicles- East Lyme Police and Waterford Police
Children can climb the various vehicles and sit in the driver’s seat. They will be able to see, touch, and interact with the wide variety of vehicles and learn their functions. This unique event will feature vehicles from the town of East Lyme, the US Navy and Coast Guard, law enforcement, fire departments, commercial companies, industrial companies and rental companies.
Once children have explored all of the various vehicles, they can go on to experience activities, crafts, face painting, hair beading and balloon animals. Roaming Railroad will be on hand to give rides around the park for an additional charge. The delight and fun of all of these activities can be captured in memory by snapping a picture in Crest Ford’s special photo van.
Of course, active children work up an appetite. Throughout the day, there will be hotdogs, hamburgers, ice cream, kettle corn, and drinks for sale. No one should go home hungry, but they will go home happy and tired!
The requested donation is $4 per person. Children age two and under are admitted free.
Don’t miss this fun family event! A LIFE STAR helicopter, fire engines, food, face painting, and photos – there is no better way to spend a day with your favorite children! Proceeds benefit the work of Child & Family Agency of Southeastern CT as it meets the needs of over seventeen thousand children and their families annually in our communities.
Additional information can be found on the Agency’s website, www.childandfamilyagency.org, or by calling the Agency at 860-443-2896, ext. 1406.