A pancake breakfast, information booths and some really big trucks will be part of the Touch-A-Truck event.

By Mary O’KEEFE

The Glendale Police Dept. and the American Cancer Society have partnered for a fundraising event. Touch-A-Truck takes place on Sept. 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be fire engines, GPD vehicles, a street sweeper, cement mixer, a garbage truck and more big trucks and vehicles that kids can climb into and get their pictures taken.

For many years GPD dedicated time to raise funds in support of cancer care programs and to raise awareness of the disease. The program was driven by GPD community officer Tahnee Lightfoot; however, since she left the department and when the pandemic unfolded, activity in the program waned. GPD would still wrap some patrol units in pink to raise cancer awareness, thanks to Sgt. Teal Metts but, for the most part, the larger fundraising events faded away.

Amy Tate, GPD service officer, wanted to once again raise cancer awareness within the community and the GPD.

“My family has been hit hard by cancer,” Tate said.

Tate was speaking with GPD volunteer Jean Kagan about having a cancer awareness public event.

“Jean said, ‘You know, I am on the American Cancer Society board,’” recalled Tate.

Tate said she had no idea Kagan was part of the board and her involvement seemed like a sign to start fundraising again. Tate spoke about event options with Officer Selene Corrales who mentioned a Touch-A-Truck event she had attended previously with her children and how much fun it was for her family.

“We thought, ‘What if we combine the two?’ We could have a cancer awareness/fundraiser where we could have booths that share resources, and partner it with a Touch-A-Truck event,” Tate said.

The upcoming Touch-A-Truck event has grown and will include several information booths from Glendale Adventist Hospital, City of Hope and the American Cancer Society. Tate said there are many resources for people with cancer and their caregivers/families but many do not know about them.

“We heard from [representatives of]

the American Cancer Society who said people miss their cancer [medical] appointments because they do not have a ride,” Tate said as an example.

Several programs can help with transportation and with support. The Touch-A-Truck event will bring this type of information to the community.

In addition to the booths, the Elks Lodge of Glendale will be hosting a pancake breakfast with all proceeds going to the American Cancer Society. The breakfast will include eggs, pancakes, bacon, sausage, orange juice and coffee at a fee of $10 per ticket. The Soroptimist International of Glendale is also having a raffle and will also donate all proceeds to the American Cancer Society.

But it’s the Touch-A-Truck part of the program that will be the big draw for kids.

The event continues to expand with the community coming together to support the GPD efforts. Tate is meeting with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Dept. – Crescenta Valley Station hoping to get more vehicles to participate, like Montrose Search and Rescue vehicles.

The event is on Sunday, Sept. 25 and is free to attend. It will be held at the Elks Lodge, 120 E. Colorado St. in Glendale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, email atate@glendaleca.gov or scorrales@glendaleca.gov or call (818) 548-4015.