The 10th Annual
Northeast Professional Truck Drivers
Charity Challenge
Sunday, September 14th, 2008
Sherman Square, Devens Commerce Center
Devens, Massachusetts
Northeast Professional Truck Drivers
Charity Challenge
Sunday, September 14th, 2008
Sherman Square, Devens Commerce Center
Devens, Massachusetts
Check out the Charity Challenge video on YouTube, produced by Roland Bolduc of the Connecticut Professional Drivers Association!! Click here.
October 8, 2007
Hello Everyone!
The 9th Annual Northeast Professional Truck Drivers Charity Challenge was a huge success! On a gorgeous fall day, 82 drivers showcased their professional skills and fundraising abilities. The drivers raised an incredible $20,314 for the kids at St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
This event is truly a team effort of the 5 drivers associations listed in the left column. First and foremost thanks to my Vice Chairman Bob Darling (MA) for the months and months of preparation leading up to September. Bob and Jim Hosey (CT) designed the course and spent many weekends making sure all the classes would fit fairly. Don Herzog (MA) our treasurer keeping track of all the funds. Jim Dolliver (MA) lots of background work in addition to the announcing job, an all day affair. Thanks to Denis Litalien (ME) for all the hours of work needed to secure the 60+ trophies, a huge job and worth every bit. The trophies looked great. Nate & Anna Marie Lewis (ME) made the contacts for the many raffle items. Mickey & Linda Rafeal (NH) along with Debbie Litalien (ME) worked the raffle table after they had finished with the registration at 7:30. The New York group again handled the food. Al & Lynn Charbonneau, Bob & Carol Lyman, Pete & Cynthia Mesick, Eva Nordloh. The Connecticut group ran the Pre-trip inspection again thanks to Tim Carlin, Benny Zadrozny & Dale Willson. Warren Lewis(ME) drew up the written test and it was scored with the help of his wife Claudette. The Non-CDL/ Blind spot was Nate Lewis’ set-up. Candy Darling (MA) again worked her magic keeping the kids area organized and running, no small feat! Bob Quinn(MA) from FedEx ran the bike competition, with six lucky kids taking home new bikes from the bike raffle. Ken Doanne (MA) course stewart, organized the course clean up with the help of his many Jevic drivers. Jr Noel (MA) spent 6 hours in 90 degree heat the weekend before weed whacking the entire lot. Saturday set up was handled by Bill Blanchette (NH), Doug Francey (MA), Lowell Crouse (MA), Ed Bacon (MA), along with Darling, Hosey, Lewis, Herzog, & Bob Deslauriers. The driver contributions were verified by Sandy Herzog & Debbie Schenk. The Poolers (NH) again brought the golf carts for the day, and Barbara was Jim Dolliver’s assistant at the announcer’s booth. More than half the drivers that attended and competed on Sunday also worked on the course and judges and scorers.
A very special thank you to my son Nicholas. He designed and set up the web site and the on-line registration. This required many hours of testing. Nick also worked on the set-up of the Program Book and was the official scorer for the Charity Challenge. I would truly be lost without his help and expertise. Getting the driver info to Jim, the running order to the equipment area, entering the driver scores, and collating the list of winners in addition to the many other awards, a very busy day and week leading to the competition.
And last but by no means least, thank you to the Top Fundraisers. Ozzy Bartlett & John Hoffman are two incredible drivers. It was special to see them both come up to receive their awards. Ozzy has raised almost $24,000 and John is not far behind him. Ozzy drivers for Bozzuto’s and John for Hallsmith-Sysco. The top 8 fundraisers contributed $12,200 of the $20,314.
Our web site is a work in progress. Please book mark the site and check back often. We will be posting Charity Challenge photos from all the events back to 1997. The pictures will be available through Ofoto for purchasing. Do you have any pictures you can send along? Discs are the easiest. We will be adding a comments page to the site. All comments will be posted. Please send to the email address listed below. The web address is also listed.
Thank you again for fantastic event. As John Hazlett (PA) said to the crowd in Minneapolis MN at the ATA Nationals when he won the coveted Neil Demstarter Professional Excellence Award “thanks to my friends for your help, and always leave an event like this by making new friends”
I am truly blessed to have made so many friends over the years through the truck driving competitions and that we can make this contribution to such a top notch children’s charity.
Fred Schenk
Updated: December 8, 2007