By LILLIAN GLAROS
Hundreds of Laurel residents came out to the city’s Touch a Truck event at Emancipation Park the evening of July 22 to check out over a dozen vehicles.
The event, presented by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department and the Laurel Branch of the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System, featured more than just trucks. Cars from the Laurel Police Department and the Maryland State Police allowed children to pretend to ride in them, sound the sirens and even speak over the microphone. Excited children also rushed to an adjacent field to check out a helicopter from the Maryland State Police.
“I think it’s wonderful to see the youth engaging directly with our city staff, police officers, our EMS, even our firefighters and just anyone that we have here,” said Laurel City Council President Kyla Clark. “It’s good because sometimes they see the trucks, they see our state troopers, but they don’t get to say hi directly.”
Participants could also make crafts like crab hats or paper flowers, play games like checkers and puzzles, or enjoy bubbles moving in the breeze.
