TORONTO – Truck World 2008 provided a platform for far more than trucks, tires and business people.

The three-day truck extravaganza at the International Centre earlier this month was also the scene of a highly successful fund-raising effort by “Trucking For Wishes,” a special group of good-hearted industry folks who raise money for Make-A-Wish Chapters across Canada.

With the help of many bighearted drivers, their families and generous sponsors, Trucking for Wishes raised over $10,000 at Truck World. (Make-A-Wish gives hope and happiness to children with life-threatening illnesses across Canada.)

Trucking for Wishes was founded by Aaron Lindsay, fleet services Manager, NAL Insurance, as a way to give back to the community.

Lindsay reported afterward that the response of the community at Truck World exceeded even their most optimistic expectations.

“Our expectations for the event were tempered due to rumblings in the economy,” he said. “What ended up happening was a flood of support from our partners in the industry, as well as enormous support from the owner-operator and driver community. This just reinforces my belief that we work in the best industry on the planet!”

Before he launched the program in 2007, Lindsay witnessed a phenomenal fundraising effort accomplished by his girlfriend Lyndsay Elliot (a former staff member of Toronto Sick Kids Hospital and current staff member at London Health Sciences Centre).

Lyndsay Elliott raised over $25,000 single¬-handedly, which provided her triplet cousins the chance to spend a dream vacation together.

At Truck World, donations were made for T-Shirts, a 50/50 draw, a silent auction for Michelin tires (generously donated by Michelin Canada) and to enter the now famous “money booth.” For a $10 donation, contestants entered the money booth and got a shot at winning more than $600.

Two sponsors Lindsay singles out were, Kee Human Resources and KRTS Transportation Specialists Inc. Others included, Arnold Brothers, Challenger Motor Freight, Michelin Canada, NAL Insurance, Southwood Graphics, Selectrucks, and 730 Permits. (To see a list of all the Truck World sponsors as well as many of the participants, click on the “Trucking for Wishes” link below.)

Other future venues where you’ll see Trucking for Wishes, The Trucking for Wishes trailer and its sponsors are The Fergus Truck Show, The Sterling Truck Show, The THSAO Conference, several Trucking Company events such as The Schneider National Antique Truck Show, The Convoy for Special Olympics and several other community events to raise funds for other charities.

Lindsay adds: “It’s never too late to become a sponsor of Trucking for Wishes. Sponsorships are renewable annually and there’s plenty of room on the trailer for your logo. 100 percent of your donations go directly to your local Make-A-Wish chapter.”