After a three-year pandemic pause, Evan’s Touch-the-Truck event will celebrate its 10th anniversary.
This year’s event, scheduled for Sept. 9 at St. Marys’ Milt Dunnell Field, will host its classic activities – a tattoo tent, raffles, a 50-50 draw, the little drivers zone and the Erin Voss art car, which will be painted by those attending.
The late summer bash is expected to be bigger than previous years, committee member Ashley Agar said, with more companies participating, food trucks and community member inflatable horse races. St. Marys Mayor Al Strathdee and Stratford Mayor Martin Ritsma are set to race head-to-head.
A free shuttle from 8 am to 2 pm will leave from the Pyramid Recreation Center and will also service those who want to visit the farmers market behind Milt Dunnell Field.
The interactive car show-style event was created in 2011 to bring awareness to children fighting cancer, as well as to financially support Childcan, a London-based charity that provided care, guidance and support to Evan and his family as he went through his journey with the disease.
Evan was seven years old when he died in early December 2015. Prior to his death, Evan made international headlines as his then-hometown of St. George put on a Christmas parade for him in mid-October to ensure he would be able to celebrate one last Christmas with his family.
The movie, Uma, was inspired by Evan’s story, as well as Eric Walters’ children’s book, The Boy Who Moved Christmas.
Evan’s Touch-the-Truck has raised more than $120,000 for Childcan and has grown into one of Ontario’s largest childhood cancer awareness events.