How did we begin?
“It started out with the parade. Then I thought, if we’re going to have a parade, let’s do something to give it some meaning.”
Pat Winer, Founder
In 2008, Tow Trucks for Tots organized its first parade on Sunday, November 9th in Joliet, Illinois. Tow Truck owners and operators were invited to be part of a tow truck parade that collected toys to be donated to families in need during the upcoming holiday season. The parade’s founder, Pat Winer, wanted to help out families while also enhancing the image of the towing community. The first parade, featuring 239 holiday decorated tow trucks of all sizes, traveled from Joliet, Illinois to Bridgeview, Illinois in a 42 mile long parade.
In its second year, not only did Tow Trucks for Tots hold its second parade but organized a parade in Elkhart, Indiana to help their community as Elkhart was experiencing the highest unemployment rate at the time in the US. Towers from Illinois and Indiana gathered to help the community get through the hardships and helped provide a Christmas morning full of presents to families in need.
The parade quickly became a huge success, drawing hundreds of trucks each year. In 2011, Tow Trucks for Tots was awarded with the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest tow truck parade, totaling 324 trucks in total. The word was out and traveled around the globe as the parade was featured in an article published by the French publication “LDM Le Depanneur Magazine”. Years later in 2018, the French towing group “Fier D’Etre Depanneur” held its own tow truck parade, breaking the record with 491 tow trucks. As a sign of friendship and accomplishment, parade organizer Pat Winer was invited to France to be part of their next parade, honoring his achievements. In return, the president of the French towing association, Luc Le Baron, traveled to the US to take part in the 2023 Tow Trucks for Tots parade.
In 2022, a Board of Directors was created to assist with the organization’s mission and to advance the future of the parade.
Today, Tow Trucks for Tots continues to hold an annual parade, averaging over 200+ tow trucks each year, decorated in holiday spirit and full of toys to donate to deserving families. It’s focus remains the same, helping children and families have a joyful holiday season with presents to open and memories for years to come.
GOING THE EXTRA MILE
Helping after devastation
While we are recognized for our annual holiday toy drive, our commitment to children extends year-round. We believe that hope should not be seasonal. When families lose everything to natural disasters, Tow Trucks for Tots provides support to local agencies to ensure contributions reach families who lost everything. Tow Trucks for Tots has been able to provide assistance to:
LOOKING FOWARD
Framework for the future
Tow Trucks for Tots hopes that our mission and goals are continued by each new generation of tow truck operators. Our ultimate wish – to have a tow truck parade, on the same date, in every state. Since 2008, Tow Trucks for Tots has been able to participate in parades in Wisconsin, Indiana and Tennessee. Several other states host similar charitable tow truck parades and convoys aimed at supporting children and local communities. These efforts share a common idea: delivering smiles to kids everywhere!
