The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Touching is encouraged at this event

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Kids are accustomed to hearing the expression, ‘Don’t Touch,’ but at ‘Touch-A-Truck – Saturday in the Square,’ they were encouraged to climb into or onto a variety of vehicles that provide public services and emergency help. Children checked out the controls of an excavator, sat in the driver’s seat of a police car and waved from the interior of a school bus, among other things, on a recent morning in downtown Zephyrhills. The free event was hosted by Main Street Zephyrhills. A portion of Fifth Avenue was closed to traffic to give families and children to get close to the vehicles, and have a chance to meet the people who operate them.

Sitting in the driver’s seat, 5-year-old Macoy Hall, of New Tampa, checks out the details inside of a Zephyrhills Police car belonging to Officer Monroe Ownby. The boy’s mom, Gloria, left, looks on as her son interacts with the officer, who allowed the 5-year-old to turn on the police cruiser’s siren. (Christine Holtzman)
Four-year-old Wesson Swisher, of Zephyrhills, left, and 5-year-old Parker Lindsay, of Lutz, peek out the windows of a school bus to see if their dads are watching. The boys, along with their families, are very close and get together often because their fathers have been lifelong friends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These children pose inside the blade of a front loader during the ‘Touch-A-Truck’ event in downtown Zephyrhills. They are, from left: 7-year-old Jayden Landis, of Illinois; 5-year-old Owen DeAngelis, of New Tampa; 4-year-old Camden Landis and 7-year-old Tristan DeAngelis.
The Landis family was in town visiting the DeAngelis family. The children’s mothers have been friends since their college days at the University of South Florida.
Ten-year-old Jonathan Provins, visiting Zephyrhills from Pittsburgh, was excited to be at the controls of a real excavator while operator Kenneth Carriveau watches. The event featured a police car, an ambulance, fire trucks, garbage trucks, bulldozers, cranes and a school bus. There was also live music, local vendors and food stands.

 

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