Truckers Save Christmas – Trucker’s Christmas Group Partnering with Trucking’s Top Musicians
TRUCKERS HELPING TRUCKING FAMILIES IN NEED during the CHRISTMAS SEASON. TCGO is a 501(c)(3) registered charity
For 11 years the Truckers Christmas Group (TCGO), has been helping trucking families in dire need during the holiday season through donations, sponsorships, and nominations.
The Christmas Group has raised $90,000 and helped 154 trucking families in need over the last 11 years. TCGO is a 501(c)(3) charity.
During 2018 the TCGO donation drive, the group had record numbers of applications and delivered $8,000 to 16 families during the Christmas season.
It is during the Christmas season that families feel the most stress and sadness during difficult, challenging, and sometimes catastrophic situations.
This year can prove to be a most challenging year because of bankruptcies and layoffs as well illness and other unforeseen circumstances.
This years need for donations from the trucking community is greater than ever.
Mark Abraham, the organization president stated, “This year has been incredibly difficult for the drivers in our community, and the donation of goods and funds will help us make sure each and every driver in our trucking family can support their families during the holiday season.”
In an attempt to gather these additional funds for the 2019 Christmas season, a special group of truckers are making an appeal, our very own trucking musicians.
It started with trucker singer songwriter Bill Weaver last year with his song ,“How the Trucker’s Saved Christmas” and it has been contagious among trucking’s top musicians.
Trucking musicians, industry leaders for trucking charities, and other advocates such as Bill Weaver, Paul Marhoeffer, Taylor Barker, Mandi Jo Pinhierio, Jason Henley, Tony Justice, Ken Freeman, Keith Sampson, and more are working with TCGO to raise awareness and funds for the 2019 fundraising campaign.
Musicians Working together for the needs of others
Ken Freeman, a longtime driver, rising star trucking musician, and finalist for the 2019 Overdrive’s Trucker’s Got Talent contest, learned about TGCO in 2018 when trucking music artists and supporters of TCGO, Bill Weaver and Taylor Barker,(this year’s winner of the Trucker Talent Search contest), noticed Freeman’s talent and passion for giving back to the community. Freeman and his wife Susan quickly volunteered and agreed to help organize and coordinate efforts for this partnership with various musicians to raise awareness of TCGO in the trucking community.
Other musicians to support this year’s TGCO fundraising campaign and help grow awareness in the industry include The Stone Creek 4 and country music legend Leon Everett, who credits truck drivers with making his concert tours possible through tireless work hours and effort. Everett also commented that it’s important to remember the quality of life most of us enjoy are a result of those efforts and tireless hours by truck drivers every day.
How the Trucking Musicians got involved
In the 2018 Bill Weaver wrote a song, “How the Trucker’s Saved Christmas” he wrote about the Department of Transportation (DOT) shutting down Santa Claus’ sleigh on Christmas Eve. Ironically, little did Bill realize that TCGO’s “Santa, Greg Manchester, actually did get called in by DOT.
Here is how Bill explains it.
“Life imitates art or something like that. Last year I wrote the How the Truck Drivers Saved Christmas. Not long after I learned that a group of drivers who were helping families in need the Truckers Christmas Group.Org. Was having their annual call when their Santa Claus was called into a scale for a level 1 inspection right in the middle of telling families the good news. After hearing this story I began to think of what I could do to help.”
–Bill Weaver
Bill wanted to do something special for TCGO as well as drivers in need, so after speaking to them, he decided he would redo his song,”“How the Trucker’s Saved Christmas” into a video. This is the result of their combined efforts
Truckers Save Christmas – Support Truckers Christmas Group
How the Truckers Saved Christmas
Music copyright Bill Weaver Music
Video Copyright Truckers Christmas Group. Org
Video Editing and Production Tom Kyrk
Special Thanks to the Truckers Christmas Group.Org
Mark Abraham (Bernard)
Idella Hansen
Greg Manchester (Santa)
Photos provided by
Robert G.Greene
Pixaby.com
Tom Kyrk
Sarah Ellis
HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP The Truckers Christmas Group
1 Nominate a Family in Need by November 21st
Nominations are made anonymously, and open to professional CDL drivers living in the United States and Canada
Do you know a trucking family in need? Nominate them today, time is running out. NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2018 SEASON ARE NOW OPEN AND WILL CLOSE AT 23:59 ON DECEMBER 11TH 2019
SUCCESSFUL NOMINATION WILL BE NOTIFIED ON OR ABOUT DECEMBER 16-17th 2019.
Nominations must be submitted using this TCGO FORM only!
Qualifying Nominations include the following.
A complete list of Nomination Qualifications can be found here
1. Rules of Eligibility:
A)1) They must have been employed as a trucker within the last calendar year and have the intention of getting back into the trucking industry.
2) If off due to a disqualifying medical disability but have driven in the previous three years
3) If deceased must have been driving and passed away after Christmas of the previous year.
2- Donate to the Truckers Christmas Group with a small donation. Think of it as just one more Christmas Gift on your list and give and receive a blessing.!
3- Purchase gifts from the TCG Store
4- Sponsor a Family
5- VOLUNTEER– TCGO has four main areas in which you can help. If you have other skills or services that you would be willing to donate please contact Idella Hansen our volunteer coordinator idella@truckerschristmasgroup.org
6- Join the Truckers Christmas Group on Facebook and Share the notifications
Truckers Christmas Group Fan Page ( Like it!)
Truckers Christmas Group Members Page
Truckers Christmas Group (TCGO) helps Truckers and their families that have fallen on bad times and they need our help. Please be a part of this charity drive
JOIN US Saturday November 9th at 6PM eastern as we will discuss more details during the show on AskTheTrucker Live
The Media PR Coordinator Tom Kyrk will be co-hosting the show with Host Donna Smith. Donna hosts the yearly show with TCGO
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