GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Children and families enjoyed a fun afternoon of hands-on learning during last Saturday’s “Touch a Truck: What Moves Clay,” witnessing firsthand the big vehicles and heavy machinery of the public and private sector organizations that keep the county running. They also learned of the impacts the equipment and employees of those organizations provide to the community.

The Board of County Commissioners presented the event as a way to entwine services provided to residents by local, county and private companies.

The Green Cove Springs Police Department brought their fancy sports car cruiser along for the ride, and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office showed off their armored vehicle, police truck, police boat and Hummer. Not to be outdone was the Public Safety’s Fire Rescue unit, who stole the show with a ladder truck that reached far above spectators at the Clay County Fairgrounds.
A utility truck from the Jacksonville Electrical Authority, a school bus from the School District and a debris-hauling behemoth from Hard Knocks Materials, a private sector based in Green Cove Springs, were featured.

Children were the stars of the show. Touch a Truck allowed them to crawl and climb inside most of the heavy equipment, big trucks and swanky vehicles that move Clay. Even better, a chance to work many of the mechanisms inside, such as sirens and horns. Among children’s favorite “toys” included Fire Rescue’s ladder truck and the Sherriff Department’s boat and armored vehicle.
“It’s nice that all of these kids are being brought together. They get to go outside and play,” said Sierra Hutchinson, mother of Joey, 4, and Jamison, 6. “It’s a good, safe place for them to go out and see some things they usually don’t. They love the sirens and the lights and staying busy.”
Parents and families were able to hear engaging and informative presentations from representatives from a wide-ranging array of organizations: county departments and services, nonprofits, public safety, county agencies, and others. They each talked about the important services they offer to residents.
It was an important occasion for all agencies, but especially the under-heralded groups that keep Clay moving. Everyone knows the sheriff’s office, but not all may know what the County Utility Authority and State Forest Service have to offer. That’s what the event was all about: getting the word out in a warm, friendly, face-to-face setting, albeit on a very hot Saturday afternoon.
Residents met with representatives, with several coming to realize how important of a role the organizations.
“This has been a great opportunity for children and parents to come in and hear about what we do, interact with our workers, and see our trucks,” said Dennis Ragosta, Public and Governmental Affairs Liaison for the Utility Authority. 
The big utility trucks, promotional items, and free gear were all a hook into sitting down residents to explain the necessary services they offer for the county.
“A lot of people don’t know what we do. We treat the wastewater. A lot of people think that after you flush (the toilet), the water doesn’t go anywhere. A major aspect of our job is taking wastewater from sinks, showers and toilets, and treating that at one of our facilities. We put that back into the community and recycle it through irrigation at golf courses (and other methods),” he said.
The Florida Forest Service maintains 40,000 acres of state-owned lands at Jennings and Belmore State Forests and has two offices in the county. Matthew Darnell, a forester, said that the event is all about educating the community on what his agency is all about, whether it be their day-to-day operations of the Forest Service or their emergency response to natural disasters like hurricanes and wildfires. The state agency also responds to wildfires and prescribed burns, which reduce hazards.
“We talk about our offerings for state forests you can visit throughout Florida. We want people to get out and enjoy the woods. We’re a really multi-faceted agency,” he said.