A real hands-on benefit

Truck Day event pulling into Wynnewood park

Barry Porterfield

Wynnewood — The imaginations of kids can begin to soar when they get their hands on some big new toys; a concept taken to a whole new level and in a big way with an upcoming Wynnewood event.

Called “Touch a Truck Day,” children of all ages will get the chance on Saturday, May 23 to climb aboard a fire truck or check out the cockpit of a helicopter or just get their hands on a whole variety of vehicles.

Set from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the event will take place at the very site it’s meant to help — the Wynnewood City Park.

Although the benefit event is free to the public, any funds raised through donations will go toward the purchase of new playground equipment for that very same park.

“Kids will have the opportunity to touch a fire truck, a helicopter, all the heavy equipment that would fascinate children,” said Jamie Williamson.

“Every child, whatever they have dreamed of being someday, will get a chance to touch the vehicles, get in them and learn more about them,” he said.

“We want to let their dreams run wild.”

The way the event works is the variety of vehicles will literally be spread out over the three separate blocks of the park with each block covering about 2 acres. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 vehicles are expected to be featured during an event organizers hope will become an annual thing.

“We’ll simply set up ever bit of the equipment. They will be spread out over the entire park,” Williamson said.

“There will be a single file line at every piece of equipment. Kids will get to blow the horn, steer the wheels, actually touch these vehicles.”

Adding to the whole experience is the fact the vehicles will be accompanied by an operator who can provide much more information about each specific vehicle.

A number of other activities will also be included, such as fingerprinting for the kids, DNA sampling and fire safety tips with Smokey the Bear.

Williamson said planning for the park improvements got started some time ago.

“It all started about a year ago, trying to rebuild the park,” he said about the century old park in Wynnewood.

“A group of parents decided to make a difference.”

The way to do that was start raising money for new playground equipment.

It started with various fundraisers, such as a recent Easter Egg hunt.

“We’ve raised about $23,000 to purchase our first piece of playground equipment. It’s the first equipment for the park in 45 years,” Williamson said, adding this first round should be installed in a few short weeks.

“We’re trying to buy more playground equipment. We’re also trying to build a walking trail in the park.”

Although the event this next weekend is free to attend, Williamson said the suggested idea is a donation of $2 per child with all the funds going to the park.

So far the response from the different entities with the various types of vehicles has been “overwhelming.”

The hope is the same will be true for the children and their parents from all over the region.

Through the use of promotional flyers, children from every elementary school in Garvin County, along with those from nearby Sulphur, Davis and Wayne, have been invited to attend.

“We not only want a safe place for our kids to play, but we want to showcase Wynnewood and Garvin County,” he said.

“Our goal is bring people to our community.”