Truck Country joins Wisconsin truckers, Boy Scout to deliver goods to storm victims

When you team a prospective Eagle Scout and truckers together, you can bet something good is going to be accomplished.

This was the case when Eagle Scout candidate Colin Cross partnered with the Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association members, including Truck Country, to provide relief supplies to those still impacted by flooding from Hurricane Helene in North Carolina.

Truck Country played a key role in the effort by serving as the final collection and loading site.

On Jan. 22, W&A Distribution Services driver Dave Drayna departed from Truck Country’s corporate parts warehouse to deliver 13 pallets of donated items to residents of Minneapolis, N.C.

Colin Cross, of Cottage Grove, WI, spearheaded the collection drive as part of his Eagle Scout project.

Cross initially planned to collect blankets for the shelters in the Madison area for his Eagle Scout project. However, with the destruction left behind by Hurricane Helene continuing to grab headlines in the news, Cross revised his plans.

“He’s not looking for a lot of recognition,” Cross’ father, Leo Cross, said. “He wants to help people and be impactful.”

Cross contacted several charitable groups to learn how he could help. He was directed to the Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association, where he reached Maddie Minik, the director of events & communication for the trucking group.

The timing of the call was perfect. Minik was attending a transportation industry event, where she was able to quickly rally support for the project.

Drayna, the W&A Distribution Services driver, said it was an easy decision to support the effort after his boss asked him if he would make the trip to North Carolina.

“My first thought was, anything we can do to help, we are going to do it,” said Drayna who donated his time to make the delivery. “Once I heard what this was all about, I was onboard immediately.”

The Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association summed up the collaborative effort with a post on the group’s Facebook page following the delivery: “This delivery is a powerful reminder of the incredible impact the trucking industry has in times of crisis. Thank you to all of the WMCA members who donated! When the road gets tough, we step up — delivering more than just freight, but also hope.”