He Needs Trucker Buddies
Gary King, founder of Trucker Buddy, could probably use some postcards of his own right now.
Deborah Whistler
Editor
It is probably the single most successful public image program in the trucking industry. Trucker Buddy, the trucker pen pal program with school kids, has connected millions of children with truckers not only in the United States, but throughout the world.
This extraordinary program, which has been embraced by truck drivers, educators, industry associations, fleets, suppliers and trucking media, is now approaching 14 years in operation.
It had humble beginnings. In November 1992, a professional truck driver named Gary King contacted a grade school in Williams Bay, Wis., and asked the principal for permission to write to a class of students as "pen pals."
One fourth-grade teacher agreed, and King began writing postcards and short letters every week. The students eagerly wrote back, asking him questions about driving and the sights he saw. The teacher quickly recognized the value of the letters in stimulating the children's interest in reading, writing and other subjects, and integrated them into her teaching routine. When other drivers saw King writing his postcards and letters at the many truckstops he visited across the country, they, too, became interested in the program and wanted their own pen pal class.
The Trucker Buddy program became incorporated on July 1, 1993. Within the first year of operation, it grew to almost 1,000 driver-teacher matches. The second year the program again doubled, and then doubled again in the third year of operation. By the end of the 1996-97 school year, there were about 5,000 driver-teacher matches, with 135,000-plus students participating in the Trucker Buddy program. In 1998, Trucker Buddy launched a new effort to recruit new drivers and expand services, and in 1999, the board of directors was expanded to include four active drivers and one teacher.
Teachers adore the program because it makes school subjects come alive. The kids track the movements of their Trucker Buddy, discuss the places he or she visits, the loads hauled, and even personal facts. Many kids regard their Trucker Buddy as a true mentor, not just a pen pal.
King was the driving force behind the astronomical success of the Trucker Buddy program. He personally introduced the program to hundreds of drivers, promoted for media coverage, solicited sponsors and support to grow the organization.
"Gary King started an organization that grew beyond his goal of finding a way to keep busy while doing something beneficial for one class in Wisconsin. He never dreamed that one day, over a million children from all over the world would be exposed to a more human side of the trucking industry through the Trucker Buddy program. I am proud to continue his efforts by leading this organization in the coming years," says Ellen Voie, current executive director, Trucker Buddy International Inc.
"We have classes in France, South Africa, Iceland, Romania, the United Kingdom and Japan, and we have drivers in the United Kingdom, Australia, Mexico, Phillipines, New Zealand, and the U.S. and Canada," she says.
In the late '90s, King retired as active director of Trucker Buddy, mostly due to health problems. Now Gary could use some support from all those he helped throughout the years. Gary underwent surgery recently for stomach cancer.
"Gary doesn't take any credit for the success of the program," Voie says. "He said he just lit one candle and many others passed on the flame."
And what a flame that turned out to be.
Anyone interested in contacting Gary or making donations to help him defray his mounting medical expenses can send cards or contributions in care of Ellen Voie at:
Trucker Buddy International
P.O. Box 527
Waupaca, WI 54981
Phone: 1-800-MY-BUDDY
Phone (direct): (715)256-2342
Fax: (715) 258-2396
E-mail: info@truckerbuddy.org
E-mail Deb Whistler at dwhistler@truckinginfo.com
