Children and adults alike will have a chance to get up close with a variety of vehicles at the 14th annual Things That Go event hosted by Parents as Teachers, the Herculaneum Fire Department and the city of Herculaneum.
Abby Carpenter, director of Parents as Teachers serving Festus, Crystal City, Dunklin and Jefferson R-7, said the event will be taking place from 10 a.m. until noon Saturday, Sept. 19, at William C. Haggard City Park, 776 Joachim Ave., Herculaneum. The event is free and open to the public.
Carpenter said attendees will be able to interact with all the vehicles at the event.
“They will be able to sit inside, press all the buttons, honk the horn and basically get firsthand experience with their community helpers. Everything is accessible to them. They don’t have to just look. They’re able to quite literally touch a truck,” Carpenter said.
She said the purpose of the event is to familiarize children with emergency personnel and vehicles, such as police vehicles, fire trucks and ambulances, in a non-emergency situation.
This exposure will hopefully help them feel more comfortable in case of an emergency.
She said Things that Go is an opportunity to see construction equipment, school buses, trash trucks, semi-trucks, tow trucks, service trucks, recreational vehicles, monster trucks and many other things that go.
Carpenter said the PAT will be having a book basket giveaway after the event. A winner will be chosen from the sign-in sheet at the PAT table.
Carpenter said the PAT will also be bringing several bikes and trikes from the Festus Early Childhood Center that children may ride under the large pavilion at the park.
She said Joachim Avenue in front of the park will be closed during the event, but people may pull in the first entrance closest to Hwy. 61-67 and park in the field.
Attendees may also get to the park using Scenic Drive, which is the next street north of Joachim Avenue when driving on Hwy 61-67, and then they may park by Kade’s playground and the ballfields.
Carpenter said Kade’s Playground and the Bay of Naples Splash Zone in the park will be open during the event, and she encourages parents to bring a change of clothes and a towel for their children. She said parents may also want to bring water, snacks, a stroller for small children and a portable fan if the weather is hot.
Carpenter, who stepped into the role of director on Aug. 24, said she is excited for her first big event with the PAT.
“It’s going to be a great event purely because of the amazing staff that PAT has,” she said.
Carpenter was an early childhood educator for five years before becoming a stay-at-home mother while finishing her master’s degree in public advocacy and public administration.
“I am very excited. It has been a big transition going from stay-at-home mom to a working mom full-time again, but the staff is amazing and so supportive,” she said. “I’m excited about working with children and families and advocating for what they need and preparing them for success as they get into elementary school. This age is so crucial to development, and that’s why I love early childhood education because you can make such a difference at this age.
For more information about the Things That Go event, or for more information on the PAT, call their office at 636-933-0792.