I would like to thank organizers in Quinte West and several other local communities for making their signature events a little bit more enjoyable for everyone.
Touch the Truck is being held again today at Centennial Park in Trenton. You and your kids can check out police cars, fire trucks, Public Works equipment, a Zamboni and more to get an up-close and personal look at some of the vehicles that make things happen in Quinte.
It’s an amazing event that puts joy on the faces of so many kids, including those who find sirens more painful than distracting.
Today’s Touch the Truck event includes a quiet hour from 1-2 pm where the sound levels are kept low, and the sirens are silenced in the name of accessibility.
Without that extra bit of thought and consideration, families like mine would never be able to experience the magic first-hand.
My son Alex LOVES trucks big vehicles of all kinds but his Autism (which comes with extreme sensory sensitivity) makes a backdrop of sirens and wailing vehicles a recipe for disaster.
Silence the sirens, and you set the backdrop for a magical experience which would include marveling at local officers, firefighters and others in uniform building a sense of trust, connection and even wonder in the mind of a child.
On behalf of all local organizers who take the time to make it possible for us and enable those like us to attend, thank you so much for not only seeing but hearing USs and making us feel welcome.
For an hour, the sirens may be silent, but the laughter of our children will fill that time with joy, nonetheless.
I’m Paul Martin and that’s what I see looking Beyond the Headlines.
