For 20-year-old athlete Paul Cavelti, Special Olympics is about more than competing in basketball, track and bowling.
"It really gives him something to look forward to," said Cavelti's father, Mike. "These kids and adults don't often have a lot of opportunities like this."
On Saturday morning, the Caveltis drove from Buckley in Pierce County to meet 55 trucks parked in a large field outside Toledo. Rows of tractor-trailers and logging trucks had trekked from Tacoma to exit 57 off Interstate 5, participating in a fund-raising effort for Special Olympics.
In the event dubbed the World's Largest Truck Convoy, each truck driver donated a minimum of $100 to drive, according to Special Olympics promotions manager Mary Do.
"Truckers then try to outbid each other to see who can get the lead position. It's all about celebrating truckers and their support of Special Olympics," Do said.
The nationally organized event included truck drivers participating in 30 different states and two Canadian provinces, equating to more than 3,000 trucks traveling 1,000 miles on Saturday, according to Do.
Last year, the event raised $225,000 nationally. However, all money raised by the truckers traveling down I-5 to Toledo on Saturday would help purchase medals, uniforms and transportation costs for Washington state's 8,000 Special Olympics athletes, Do said.
After participating last year's convoy, which included only Pierce and King counties, Bruce Thompson of Bruce Thompson Trucking in Chehalis asked the organizers to include Lewis County in this year's route to attract more drivers.
Saturday's 55 trucks more than doubled last year's 22 participants.
"We're out there because these kids don't get endorsements from corporate sponsors," Thompson said. "They just want the chance to participate in the Special Olympics."
Thompson helped organize the donation of 150 hot dogs, 200 hamburgers, 200 bottles of water and seven gallons of chili for the event's afternoon barbecue.
"I hit up everyone I do business with," he said.
Having hosted various fund raisers, Thompson said he had a unique bond with the Special Olympics organization.
"These (athletes) often get looked down upon like truckers do," Thompson said. "We're also alike because we both take a lot of pride in what we do."
Truck driver Tod Reed of Onalaska said he was drawn to the event because he has a family member who was a Special Olympics athlete in Spokane.
"I heard about it by word of mouth through the grapevine of trucking, and I just wanted to help out," Reed said.
