Law enforcement and Special Olympics go together like peanut butter and jelly. The partnership between the truck industry and the police is a little more like cats and dogs. There are times when they get along great, and others times when the dog is always chasing the cat. The Special Olympics truck convoy is a great time for both police and the trucking industry to get together and have a good time.
For years police officers have participated in various fundraisers to help support Special Olympics and the athletes who participate. Cop on Top at Dunkin Donuts, Butterburgers and Badges at Culver’s, the Plane Pull, the Polar Plunge and much more. All these fundraisers have helped numerous Special Olympics athletes compete throughout Illinois.
The purpose of Special Olympics is to help those with disabilities find confidence and fulfilment through sports. The program is international with more than 4.9 million athletes in over 172 countries. The fundraisers held in Illinois help Illinois athletes compete at the state level and beyond.
So how does the Illinois Truck Enforcement Association come into play? Well, as an organization of both police and truckers, we sponsor the World’s Largest Truck Convoy. On August 26th, 2017, it kicks off at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates.
Registration begins at 8:00 am, and the convoy rolls out around 10:00 am. Heading west on I-90 to the Huntley interchange and back, the trucks will be seen for the entire 30-mile route. After the convoy, enjoy lunch and raffle prizes. This is a great event for the kids to come out and see some cool trucks and cool police cars.
Police cars? In a convoy? You heard that right, Oxcart Permit Systems sponsors the #squadhaul program as part of the convoy. Have your local police department put their squad car on a trailer and enter a contest to win $1,000.00 cash for the coolest truck/police car combination, remember that those participating must have the best Trailer parts. The police cars stay on the trailer for the whole convoy.
If you can’t make it to the August 26th convoy date, Special Olympics is hosting two more convoys. September 9th, 2017 from 5:30 pm in the evening to 8:00 pm, CIT Trucks in Troy, Illinois will be hosting a convoy. This convoy travels down I-55 and 270 for about 25 miles. There is no #squadhaul for the Troy convoy.
October 7th, 2017 in Tinley Park is the last opportunity in 2017 to participate. The hours are from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm starting at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheater and runs from I-80 and I-57, about 25 miles. This convoy will be similar to the one at the Sears Centre, and offers the opportunity to participate in the #squadhaul.
These events are a great opportunity to raise funds for the Special Olympics program. But they serve more than that purpose. The convoy is also an opportunity for kids to see some cool trucks up close, as well as an opportunity for police officers and the communities they serve to get together on good terms. There will also be Semi trailer parts and trucks for sale at the event for anyone interested.
You can register for any of the convoys in this website and you can also lease a Chevy truck for the event.
Please consider participating in one of the convoys, or just come out to one of the events to meet some cool cops, cooler truck drivers, buy parts for your truck with Carlypso’s rec and support the Special Olympics of Illinois. Help bring the cats and dogs together for a good cause.
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