Somewhere towards the middle of the parade was a long flatbed trailer that was pulled by a Champion Semi Truck. On that truck were just two child-sized pink wheel barrels. I paused just a moment from taking pictures of the parade and watched as the tractor-trailer stopped and a man got out of the truck. He briskly walked to the trailer and grabbed one of the toys and took it over to an unexpecting little girl who was observing the parade from her mother’s arms. I was delayed in capturing the exact moment on my camera and by the time I peered around the front of the truck the parade was moving again and the appreciative mother was grinning, looking down at the surprise gift.
Champion Services has been giving away outdoor toys to children at random during the Dresden Home for the Holidays Parade for five of the six years they have been in business. Owner, Chris Zemba said, “Honestly we get a better feeling from giving things away than the kids do in receiving them”.
The first couple of years Champion Services gave away bicycles, last year it was Radio Flyer Wagons and this year was pink and blue wheel barrels. Each year they donate ten large toys, five to girls and five to boys at a few area parades each year.
Why wheel barrels, wagons and bikes, well… their idea is to give away toys that kids can play with outside so they can be more active.
“It always seems like the right kids get them.”, explained Chris. One year Chris received a letter from a parent from South Zanesville where they also attend a parade. The mother explained in the letter how much the gift meant to her and her son. The boy’s father was stationed in Iraq and that act of kindness was something that they really needed at that time.
A little about the business: Champion Services is a company out of Zanesville that offers excavation, septic and liquid pumping services as well as restroom trailers and portable toilet rentals, etc.
Toy donations are just one of several ways in which Champion Services gives back to the community. Check out their website and click on the giving back link to learn more. www.champion-services.com
