Last week the fully-restored truck was driven to Joplin, Missouri, where it was put into the Guilty By Association Truck Show (GBATS). Steve’s truck was one of 518 big rigs that gathered from around the country to be a part of the display. Though the show was made up of several show-stopping events, Steve’s main purpose in making the trek was to participate in what is labeled as “the world’s largest convoy for the Special Olympics.
According to the GBATS Facebook page, the convoy is a fundraiser for the Southern Missouri Special Olympics and this year, a record-breaking 403 trucks paraded in the convoy. Each truck paid a base entrance fee but then the first 15 spots and the caboose in the convoy were auctioned off, guaranteeing not only those positions in the line-up but also the bonus that a Special Olympics Team Member would ride in the rig with the driver for the entire parade route. Steve’s truck won ninth in the line-up.
The BATC Diesel students can now say that they’ve contributed to a good cause. The auction alone raised over $30,000 which; combined with the other events of the day, they show brought in a total of $102,000 to be donated to the Southern Missouri Special Olympics.
http://batc.edu/programs/diesel