“Ultimate Whistle Stop” Award Presented to Sherri Garner Brumbaugh
Las Vegas, Nevada:
Sherri Garner Brumbaugh, president and CEO of Garner Transportation Group, Findlay, Ohio, has earned special recognition for her involvement with transporting the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree this past holiday season. The “Choose Outdoors Leadership Award” was presented to her at the board meeting of the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA), which has been a proud partner of the tree since 2012.
To view a photo of the presentation, visit TCA’s Flickr page.
Bruce Ward, founder and president of Choose Outdoors, the non-profit organization that assists the U.S. Forest Service in overseeing the tree, made the presentation during TCA’s Annual Convention at the Wynn Las Vegas Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.
For the last 36 years, a special tree has been harvested from a U.S. national forest and transported across the country to the grounds of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Along the way, the tree makes “whistle stops” at local communities and military bases, which allows the general public to view it, while also shining a spotlight on the trucking industry that makes it possible to haul the immense tree.
Steps taken to create the highly successful event will be compiled into a manual that other trucking companies can emulate for their own Whistle Stops in support of transporting the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree
Although other Whistle Stops had been hosted by various companies and organizations, Brumbaugh’s event stood out from the others for its outstanding hospitality. The trophy’s inscription said it was for her “amazing coordination of the Ultimate Whistle Stop.”
“On behalf of the entire Tree team, we felt you provided a truly all-star turnout, complete with local dignitaries, the media, and lots of participants,” said Ward. “You got the schools involved and managed to elevate the messages associated with the Capitol Christmas Tree and welcome ceremonies. You did a tremendous job.”
Brumbaugh, who is a long-time member of TCA and co-chair of its Communications & Image Policy Committee, has agreed to write down the steps she took to plan her Whistle Stop, thus creating a manual that other trucking companies can use as a template to plan their own events.
After reading the manual for ideas, trucking companies can select a Whistle Stop this summer for the city/town of their choice and fill out an online application for the right to host it. When available, the manual and application will be posted to www.truckload.org/Whistlestop.
“These Whistle Stops really bring out the families and children of America, showing them first-hand the essentiality of trucking,” said John Lyboldt, TCA’s president. “It’s very impressive to see the huge tree specially wrapped and loaded for its long journey. It makes quite an impression on people, so we’re pleased that Sherri did such a good job and has been duly recognized for her hard work.”
TCA’s 78th Annual Convention will continue until March 9, 2016, with abundant networking, educational, and social activities for all attendees. For the latest convention news, follow the association on Facebook—www.truckload.org/Facebook—and Twitter—www.truckload.org/Twitter. On both social media sites, you can also learn about this year’s Annual Convention with the hashtag #2016TCA.