“May the roof above us never fall in, and may we friends gathered below never fall out.” – Saint Patrick.
St. Patrick was renowned for his kindness to the Irish, who kidnapped and enslaved him when he was a boy. And he was known for his ability to take complex ideas and make them accessible to the common people: From the shamrock to the sun, we still celebrate the images he used to convey hope to a lost people.
In the exact same spirit of friendship and in honor of St. Patrick’s Day– this March we’re celebrating some of our favorite trucking organizations that also show mercy and make resources available to those most in need:
Women in Trucking: The trucking industry has more than forty percent minority drivers: It’s an impressive figure for an industry that’s working toward including the best talent to help “move America.” One organization that is helping to drive that force is Women in Trucking; they work to attract female talent to the trucking industry, which is a rewarding and excellent career for those that are looking for something for the long haul. Their organization claims that, “Women need flexible work arrangements, fair compensation, and inclusive corporate cultures that encourage and support professional development and advancement of women.”
Truckers Against Trafficking: More than a million drivers have been trained through Truckers Against Trafficking. Their work helps to end modern day slavery in America through the aid of drivers. They summarize their mission as, “Truckers Against Trafficking recognizes that members of the trucking, bus and energy industries are invaluable in the fight against this heinous crime. As the eyes and ears of our nation’s highways, you are in a unique position to make a difference and close loopholes to traffickers who seek to exploit our transportation system for their personal gain.”
Truckersfinalmile.org: Truckersfinalmile does a lot of different outreach in the trucking community– They work hard to bring “respect and dignity to the North American truck driver.” Their organization emphasizes that, “At Truckersfinalmile, we know that during a crisis our trucking family needs our support. That’s why we do our best to bring comfort and practical solutions. From our first conversation to any ongoing needs, we do whatever it takes to help drivers and their families. Our organization reunites drivers with their families during times of illness, death, severe injury, or a crisis at home. We also facilitate mobility assistance projects in drivers’ homes, and we provide funeral arrangements for deceased drivers and Christmas gifts for their children.”
Wreaths Across America: Places wreaths on the graves of fallen service members. Their organization is now almost 250,000 wreaths strong, and they continue to look at ways to grow their mission to remember those that paid the ultimate price for our freedom and safety as a nation. They say that, “Each December on National Wreaths Across America Day, our mission to Remember, Honor and Teach is carried out by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as at more than 2,500 additional locations in all 50 U.S. states, at sea and abroad.”
This St. Patrick’s Day, Blue Eagle wishes you the best of luck and hopes that you may find genuine friendships as you seek to serve others– either through these organizations or through those that are close to your heart.