First Touch-A-Truck Scheduled
"This is our first Touch-A-Truck, and it's a great fit for our mission," said Becca Stamp, development and community relations coordinator with Hands-on House and one of the organizers of the first Hands-on House Touch-A-Truck fundraiser. "It's a hands-on activity."
Hands-on House Children's Museum of Lancaster, 721 Landis Valley Road, Lancaster, will hold Touch-A-Truck on Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 12 trucks are lined up to be present in the Hands-on House parking lot that day. Attendees may park at Calvary Church, 1051 Landis Valley Road, Lancaster, and they will be shuttled to the event. During the fundraiser, attendees of all ages will be able to view and touch a variety of vehicles.
"We have (scheduled) a variety of vehicles that we are excited about," said Stamp, who listed a fire truck, a police car, construction vehicles, a dump truck, a cement mixer, a garbage truck, a television truck, and a skid steer loader among those that will be present. "The Lancaster County Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) has a BearCat, and that is coming out," said Stamp, who added that she thinks children of all ages will be excited to see the military-style armored vehicle.
One unusual vehicle that will take part in the event will travel from its home at the Susquehanna Art Museum in Harrisburg to Hands-on House. "The VanGo! is coming," said Seth Cluley, exhibits and creative director at Hands-on House. The VanGo! is a mobile art museum housed in a former motorhome. "The exhibit that is in it right now is all about optical illusions," explained Cluley, who added that paintings and sculptures will be among the items found in the exhibit.
Perhaps the most unique-looking vehicle at the Touch-A-Truck event will be the Hershey Kissmobile. Formerly a promotional vehicle for the candy company, the Kissmobile is now used for promotional community events.
To nourish hungry visitors to the Touch-A-Truck event, Hands-on House has arranged for - what else? - food trucks to park alongside the other vehicles on display. "We will have a sandwich truck and a treat truck," said Cluley. "We typically don't have food here, but it's part of the event, and it's a truck."
Touch-A-Truck is a departure from past Hands-on House fundraisers. Cluley noted that the organization chose it after searching for an event that would appeal to a broad audience. Stamp added that she hopes the gathering will introduce families to first responders and others from around the county. "We are looking at this as an opportunity for families to connect with our community and have a hands-on experience," she said.
There is a per-person cost to attend the Touch-A-Truck. Advance tickets for those age 2 and up may be purchased at http://www.handsonhouse.org. Children under the age of 2 will be admitted free. Tickets purchased prior to the day of the event will be discounted.
Funds raised by the Touch-A-Truck will benefit educational programming and exhibits of Hands-on House, a museum for children that first opened in 1987 in a Victorian house located nearby along Landis Valley Road. In February of 2000, the museum moved to its current location and nearly doubled its floor space. Hands-on House is a nonprofit organization that exists to use play to create landmark experiences for children ages 2 to 10.
Hands-on House will be open during Touch-A-Truck, and event attendees will receive a coupon for discounted admission to Hands-on House that will be good for one visit through Sunday, May 26. The Hands-on House Touch-A-Truck will be held rain or shine.
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