Children at Kent State University’s Child Development Center had the opportunity to interact with maintenance vehicles at the third Meet the Trucks event on Oct. 13. Since 2013, the University Facilities Management team has brought a variety of trucks to the center for the event.
Terri Cardy, outdoor educator for the Child Development Center, says it is safe to say that the Meet the Trucks event has become an annual fixture.
“The children see these vehicles on campus all the time, and they’re very interested in what they do,” Cardy says. “We have small versions of some of these vehicles in the outdoor learning lab, and they start to use them more.”
While some children were hesitant, others made a beeline for vehicles that they recognized from campus. Soon enough, the children were hoisted up into the trucks and the air was filled with a chorus of loud honks. Cardy says that the grounds team seems just as excited to be back as the children. Most of the staff at the event have been to all three Meet the Trucks events.
“They love it,” Cardy says. “Some of them stand back, but most of them are right in there showing children the vehicles. I mean, it’s a break from what they do every day, and the children are such a joy. How could you not love seeing the joy on their faces?”
Last year was the grounds team’s first year bringing in the bucket truck. Heather White, grounds manager for University Facilities Management, says that it has quickly become one of the children’s favorites. Some children asked for a ride as they watched the operator climb hundreds of feet into the air. White says that the children’s enthusiasm for the event makes it an easy choice to return each year.
“It’s their excitement that keeps us coming back.” says White. “They absolutely love it, and they just tear around from one to another. It reminds all of us of the excitement of equipment.”
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