The two newest additions to R.E. Garrison Trucking’s fleet were unveiled on Saturday, Aug. 19, and sported custom graphics aimed at raising awareness of those affected by childhood cancer.

R.E. Garrison began introducing specialty themed trucks each year through the offshoot charity organization, Garrison Gives Hope, in 2018. Executive director of safety and human resources Tracy Rushing said the two “sibling trucks” unveiled on Saturday brought the number of the company’s specialty fleet to eight. She said a 2023 addition — designed around breast cancer awareness — was introduced earlier this year, but the company was contacted by the company’s purchasing agency, Lonestar Truck Group, with the opportunity to create a second themed truck.

“The manufacturer, Daimler Trucks of North America, were looking for a partner to wrap a truck which could help raise money for St. Judes. Lonestar told them we had a wrapped fleet and that we would love it,” Rushing said.

Around the same time, Garrison acquired Boaty’s Transport, located in Jackson, Ga., who had also been in discussions with Daimler to sponsor a truck.

“It just worked out that we could put one of the new trucks coming into Boaty’s into a wrap as well. Out of that this whole childlike sibling truck idea was born,” Rushing said.

To bring their vision to life, Rushing said the company partnered with Lonestar graphic designer Jaylon Crump and began exploring the idea to implement additional elements beyond the childhood cancer awareness ribbon. She said they wanted to honor those who had been personally affected by the disease and sent out company-wide requests to Garrison, Lonestar and Daimler employees asking for them to “Tell us your stories.”

The end result was nine children, from eight families being featured on two trucks. Four children are represented on the Garrison, and five on the Boaty’s truck with two of the Boaty’s children being brothers.

“This whole project just really grew and wound up a lot bigger than any of us thought it would be,” Rushing said.

At the request of St. Jude’s to not use the actual likeness of the children, Rushing said the trucks instead feature the children’s specially created avatars. She said each of the families were contacted and asked the children to send them something they felt best represented themselves, which was also incorporated into the design.

Rushing said they wanted the children to be the first to lay eyes on the truck before a public announcement and invited the families to spend the weekend in Cullman. The children were treated to an honoree dinner on Friday evening and were given a taste of what driving the trucks would feel like using simulators brought in by Wallace State Community College. There was also an outing to the Space and Rocket Center before the unveiling event Saturday evening at the Cullman Festhalle.

“We just spent the night just celebrating these kids and their successes and their stories,” Rushing said.

The trucks are now scheduled to make an appearance at two St. Jude’s fun runs. The Boaty’s truck will be featured at the run in Memphis, Tenn. and the Garrison truck will be delivered to Charolette, NC. The Garrison truck will be receiving a particular notable send off with hundreds of Harley Davidson’s driven by the Patriot Guard Riders escorting the truck to its destination.

Rushing said after these appearances the trucks will be used as the company’s regular fleet and are estimated to create a combined total of more than 600 million opportunities to raise awareness for childhood cancer during the course of their four year operating cycle.