OOIDA’s tour truck, the “Spirit of the American Trucker,” will join a truck convoy to benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

An OOIDA member and his wife organized the event, called the Convoy for St. Jude. It is scheduled to start at 8 a.m. local time Saturday, May 28, 2005, at the Petro Truck Stop on Interstate 40 in Knoxville, TN. Howard and Pam Hart, the drivers of “The Spirit,” will join the convoy.

The trucks will travel from Knoxville to the Petro in West Memphis, AR, about 400 miles. Truckers will pay $100 per vehicle to take part, all of which will benefit St. Jude’s.

Bob and Barbara Brousseau of Myrtle Beach, SC, are organizing the event. The couple came up with the idea after seeing coverage for the World’s Largest Truck Convoy, which benefits Special Olympics.

Entry fee checks can be mailed to Convoy for St. Jude, 3001 N. Kings Highway, PMB 227, Myrtle Beach, SC, 29577. Advance registration ended April 29. Truckers who pay their entry fee the day of the event should take cash. Call (843) 267-7972 for information.

“The Spirit” will also take part later this year in the multistate World’s Largest Truck Convoy, an event that benefits Special Olympics. OOIDA officials confirmed that the Harts plan to join convoys in Texas, Florida and Minnesota.