Trucker Buddy

‘Sandpaper’ rubs class the right way

Patricia Mawn has been teaching for 36 years, and for the last 10 of those years, she has been assisted in her efforts by Trucker Buddy Leonard Emery. “Sandpaper,” as he is known on the CB, started corresponding with Ms. Mawn’s students back in 1994, and he has been sending postcards faithfully ever since.

Some of the children in Ms. Mawn’s 4th grade class at Oxford Elementary School in Fairhaven, MA had older brothers or sisters who had written to Trucker Buddy Leonard. “I have seen many children in the 5th through 12th grades who ask if we’re still writing to Mr. Emery,” said Ms. Mawn. “The children really look forward to his letters.”

The students who nominated him were impressed with his long-term commitment. “Mr. Emery has been writing to the classes in our school for 10 years,” wrote Melissa. “That’s a lot of writing!” She added that he answers all of their questions through his postcards and letters.

One student wrote that Mr. Emery is “caring, nice and gentle, and every note he writes is hard work.”

Trucker Buddy Leonard lives in Las Vegas and drives for Andrus Trans-portation Services. He is one of nearly 4,000 professional drivers who share their time with elementary classes throughout the world. The only criteria to be a Trucker Buddy is to be a truck driver and willing to send a postcard each week to a class in grades two through eight. Drivers and teachers can find out more about the program by visiting www.truckerbuddy.org or calling 1-800-MY BUDDY.

As Trucker Buddy of the Month, Emery will receive a personalized jacket, along with a check for $300 to spend on his class and $200 in Trucker Buddy merchandise. Over the Road and Pro Trucker magazines are proud sponsors of the Trucker Buddy program.