Trucker Buddy News

'Grandma Bonnie' shares her adventures

Bonnie DeWitt, the June Trucker Buddy Driver of the Month, is known to her class as “Grandma Bonnie.” She was nominated, said teacher Jeanne Stevens, because, “As I look back at my teaching career, Grandma Bonnie is one of the best things that has happened to my students!”

Stevens, who teaches supplementary reading and writing for students in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth grades at Homer Intermediate School in Homer, NY, said the Trucker Buddy program “gave my students a meaningful and authentic reason for reading and writing. It even incorporated areas of math, social studies and geography.”

Yet, Grandma Bonnie was much more than “a unit of study”; she also quickly be-came their friend, Stevens said. “They loved hearing about her adventures! Every day I would be asked if anything had arrived from Grandma Bonnie. The children’s enthusiasm was high throughout the year.”

The highlight of the year for the students was the classroom visit Grandma Bonnie and husband Frank were able to make thanks to the support of their carrier, Arizona Pacific Transport, Springfield, MO. “They routed us through Homer, which doesn’t happen often, so we could visit our class. They also gave us APT flashlight key rings for all of the students,” Grandma Bonnie said.

Grandma Bonnie has since come off the road due to back problems. However, she still works for Arizona Pacific in the office, and her husband runs the company’s shop. Grandma Bonnie says she really misses being a Trucker Buddy, although the Trucker Buddy program will likely miss her even more.

Each Trucker Buddy Driver of the Month receives a personalized jacket, along with a check for $300 to spend on the class and $200 in Trucker Buddy merchandise, compliments of ACS MultiMedia Advertising.

Grandma Bonnie is one of nearly 4,000 other professional drivers who share their time with elementary classes throughout the world. The only criteria to be a Trucker Buddy is to be a truck driver and willing to send a postcard each week to a class in grades two through eight. Drivers and teachers can find out more about the program by visiting www.truckerbuddy.org or calling (800) MY BUDDY.

Over the Road and Pro Trucker magazines are proud sponsors of the Trucker Buddy program.

Photo caption: June Trucker Buddy Driver of the Month “Grandma Bonnie” DeWitt and her husband, Frank.