Truckers and Students Make Great Pen Pals

BROWNS MILLS - Kindergarten students at the Harker-Wylie Elementary School finally met the Michigan truck driver they corresponded with all year.

"I'm impressed with the things they are learning in kindergarten," Russell Abbott, 51, Bloomingdale, Mich. Said as he met the 19 students at the school during a pass through the state Wednesday. "I was amazed at the interest and the questions they have."

Abbott spent the school year as a Trucker Buddy for the kindergarten class of Dawn Phillips and Phyllis Nichols, sending and receiving letters with the students as he traversed 48 states with his rig, Lightweight I.

The international, non-profit program began in 1992 when professional truck driver Gary King contacted a grade school and asked if he could correspond with the students while on the road, according to the organization's Internet site. Since then, the organization has helped educate more than 1 million students throughout the world.

Phillips learned about the program three years ago from her old hometown newspaper in Maine and decided to contact the organization, which usually serves students in second to eighth grades, and asked if an exception could be made for her kindergarten class. The class has participated each year since.

"It is a special time (during the week) when we read the letters," Phillips said. "We usually have a special day like 'trucker Tuesday.'"

Abbott, whose wife Marianne is a fifth grade school teacher, heard about the program during a trucking show in Dallas and decided to give it a try.

"I heard other drivers talking about it," Abbott, a driver for more than 25 years said.

As he traveled throughout the country, Abbott wrote letters to the students describing places, things and events through the eyes of his rig. Some of the letters included his travels through a hurricane and snow as well as a trip to the hospital. In return, the students sent him letters and projects from New Jersey.

"All (of the items) were very special," Abbott said.

During his day-long visit at the school, Abbott exchanged gifts with the students and gave them a tour of his rig.