The Ellsworth Elementary School parking lot was a busy place Wednesday, May 15 as kids lined up to visit 10 different vehicles during the Touch a Truck event.

According to organizer Tami Place, the EES STEM coordinator, all classes took turns touring the vehicles throughout the day, rotating around the loop. Some operators talked about what their vehicles are used for and others allowed students to sit inside or on them.

“They checked out the back of the new police truck, loved looking out the window on our ERU vehicle, honked the Cemstone horn, saw the inside of the ambulance, and learned what firefighters use when they are on a fire call.”

Melstrom’s Towing gave students a little notebook in which they took notes on what they were learning about. Another fan favorite was the John Deere combine.

Participating businesses and organizations included:

• Pierce County Highway Department, Chad Johnson and Cody Hanson with a new plow truck with a stainless steel dump body.
• Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, Tom Bauer and Brette Huppert with an ERU truck called a turret.
• Ellsworth Police Department, Sgt. Eric VanNocker and Chief Eric Ladwig with the new police truck.
• Ellsworth Fire Department, Jason Elsen, Larry Peterson and Jerry DeWolfe with a fire engine and command vehicle.
• Fenske Farms, Rob Fenske and his two sons Will and Wyatt, with a John Deere combine.
• Ellsworth Area Ambulance, Joy Schrode, Jessi Willenbring, Mike Rehbein, with an ambulance.
• Ellsworth Village Public Works, Dave Koch and Mike Moldenhauer, with a grader and end loader with a snowblower attachment.
• Cemstone, Bob Biderman with a ready-mix truck.
• Melstrom’s Towing, Theresa Thom with a flatbed tow truck.

Place said students and teachers were talking about their favorite vehicles all day and requesting more next year.

“This is definitely something I will keep doing,” Place said. “I love how our community steps up for our students here at EES. Our day is packed with lots of laughs and happy students. Touch A Truck is definitely a highlight of my job, bringing our community together with our students and teaching them in different ways.”

Place is thankful to the Touch a Truck participants for taking time out of their days to visit students. Building relationships between businesses and students makes Place proud, she said.

“Students will definitely remember today,” she said. “Seeing these trucks at Touch A Truck day and hearing about what each truck does by someone who runs them opens their minds to endless possibilities. We truly have an amazing community with amazing businesses that are here whenever I ask. I can't wait to see what next year brings.”