Evan’s 'Touch the Truck' event returns to St. Marys with a big honk

After a three year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, hundreds came out to support the 10th annual Evan’s Touch the Truck event at the Milt Dunnell Field in St. Marys, Ont.

The event is described as an interactive car show, where kids of all ages can come out and sit behind the wheel and pretend they are driving.

Evan’s Touch the Truck raises awareness and funds for childhood cancer in honour of Evan Leversage, who was just seven years old when he died from cancer in December of 2015.

For the past decade the family has been fundraising to support Childcan.

"I don’t know how the family could have got through without Childcan’s help, they were just there at every moment somebody needed something,” said Evan’s aunt, Ashley Agar, who is one of the committee organizers.

A large crane seen at Evan’s 'Touch the Truck' event at Milt Dunnel Field in St. Marys, Ont. on Sept. 9, 2023. (Reta Ismail/CTV News London)

Amy Mathias, the community engagement and events associate with Childcan, said events like these are their lifeline.

"This is how we can fund the things we do, such as providing parking passes and hospital meal vouchers to families while they are in the hospital, and taking the relief off of how they pay their bills,” she explained.

There were all sorts of vehicles, including one of three largest cranes in Canada. But perhaps one of the coolest trucks was a Lagoon Crawler, a four wheel drive agitation boat used in manure pits.

To date, the event has raised more than $120,000 for Childcan and has grown into one of the largest childhood cancer awareness events in Ontario.