Trucker Buddy News

Trucker Buddy News - Trucker buddies open students' eyes, hearts to world of possibilities

William is a third-grade student in Ms. J. P. Robinson’s class at Oneida Elementary School in Oneida, KY. In his short life, William has already undergone four surgeries to fix his heart. Now, he is waiting for a new heart so he can run and laugh and play with the other children.

Until last year, William often talked about dying. He didn’t think he would grow to be an adult. Now, all he talks about is when he’ll be old enough to drive a semi! William e-mails his Trucker Buddy drivers, Ralph and Sara Bundy, every day and shares his fears and his new life goals with them.

The Bundys, owner-operators with Land-star-Ranger, send daily e-mails to the students. “Through e-mails and pictures, my students have been able to see and experience things that they may never have the opportunity to do,” says Ms. Robinson. The students have a personal relationship with their Trucker Buddy drivers, according to Robinson, and they “have learned so much more than I could ever have taught them.”

Austin is another third-grade student who corresponds with the Bundys. He says that the drivers “always listen to our problems,” and he added that they “see places we may never see.” Austin describes his Trucker Buddy friends by saying, “We feel like we have two teachers on the road.”

His teacher agrees. “With the Bundys, I feel like they are an extended classroom on wheels, without recess or textbooks,” Rob-inson adds.

Ralph and Sara Bundy of Manchester, KY have made an impact on these children by adopting their class through the Trucker Buddy program in March of 2005. They join nearly 4,000 professional drivers who share their time with elementary classes throughout the world. The only criteria to be a Trucker Buddy is to be a truck driver and willing to send a postcard each week to a class in grades two through eight. Drivers and teachers can find out more about the program by visiting www.truckerbuddy.org or calling 1-800-MY BUDDY.

Each Trucker Buddy Driver of the Month receives a personalized jacket, along with a check for $300 to spend on the class and $200 in Trucker Buddy merchandise, compliments of MultiMedia (www.tmi-multimedia.com). Over the Road and Pro Trucker magazines are proud sponsors of the Trucker Buddy program.