Walmart driver garners Trucker Buddy honors

Fred Sweetwood, a driver for the Walmart Distribution Center in Ottawa, Kan., has been named Trucker Buddy of the Month for June 2013 following his nomination by Linda Carson, a fifth grade teacher at Marais des Cygnes Valley Elementary in Quenemo, Kan.

Carson said that Sweetwood regularly shares news of his travels, including Yellowstone National Park, western Kansas and the Oklahoma City Memorial.

Trucker Buddy International works to educate students and introduce educators to the trucking industry. The Trucker Buddy program helps to educate and mentor students via a pen pal relationship between professional truck drivers and children in grades K-8, as supervised by their teachers. After an extensive screening process, professional truck drivers are matched with a class and share news about their travels.

Sweetwood occasionally makes surprise visits to Carson’s classroom, emphasizing to the children that the Trucker Buddy Program is a bonus for them to enjoy and participate in after their regular school work done. Carson said that this is a huge motivator for the students.   

The Trucker Buddy program is funded by sponsorships and donations. If you would like to make a donation, visit the program’s website.