MARION -- Volunteers from several southern Illinois communities joined an effort to show appreciation to truckers making their way up Interstate 57 on Wednesday by offering a free sack lunch.
Over 500 truckers rolled through the Illinois Department of Transportation weigh station on the northbound lanes of I-57, also known locally as the "Ken Gray Expressway," to take advantage of the lunch, sponsored by the Illinois Trucking Association.
ITA members partnered with the Illinois State Police and IDOT for the event that served around 500 lunches from 11 a.m. to about 1 p.m.
Several local members of the Illinois Trucking Association are donating the lunches, including Thomason Express, Clemens Insurance, Pepsi MidAmerica, Beelman Truck Co, PrePass, TKM Materials, NOTS Logistics, and Black Diamond Harley Davidson.
"The trucking industry in Illinois employs more than 300,000 hardworking men & women. That's 1 out of every 16 jobs in the state," said Matt Hart, Executive Director of the Illinois Trucking Association. "Our professional truck drivers have been working extremely hard during the current pandemic and giving our drivers a free meal is just one way for the Illinois Trucking Association to say 'thank you' for working to safely deliver the goods that Americans need each day."
Several local companies stepped in to help with the effort.
"It's basically a box lunch. It's got a sandwich, a bag of chips, fruit, and a cookie in it. They are also getting a bottle of water from Pepsi Mid-America, and they're also getting a set of masks that have been donated by FEMA for truck drivers," Hart said.