Stockton gears up support for truck drivers

STOCKTON–County board member and former Stockton chief of police LaDon Trost grew up in a time when everything that his family needed was in Stockton and there was no need to drive to Freeport or Dubuque to get clothes or groceries.

“I guess we have found out that everything that we need is still right here,” said Trost.

As the coronavirus pandemic spread to the Gateway of Jo Daviess County, Trost and others in Stockton realized how fortunate they are to live in a town like Stockton that has restaurants open for delivery, a pharmacy that offers a drive up and grocery stores like Sullivan’s that have a stock of food available for citizens with deliveries by the local fire department volunteers.

Trost realized these services can be provided to those who are still working and are still having to travel while many restaurants aren’t open or have only allowed for carry-out and delivery. Trost said he heard truck drivers have had a difficult time in recent weeks trying to find food while they are delivering goods and essential items.

“I got a call from a local truck driver and he told me that all the waysides were closed in Illinois or that they weren’t serving food,” said Trost. “I thought that on a local level we can help these drivers so that they can have good food to eat.”

Trost called Brian Saunders at the Stockton Travel Center and Danny Bergman at the Corner Tap to help organize the effort. Bergman reached out to other restaurants to bring bundles of carryout menus to Saunders at the travel center to provide to truck drivers. Local fast food restaurants would not allow walk-up service at drive thrus when the pandemic and closures began.

The effort has been a success so far with calls coming in from truckers who are thankful for the service.

Trost encouraged fellow board members at the recent county board meeting to find ways to help local businesses and those essential workers during this time.

“I encouraged them and others to do their part and help their local businesses during this difficult time,” said Trost.

Trost is thankful for the support that the community has shown so far and has pushed the point that Stockton and other small towns in the area have everything that they need and that people are once again relying on local businesses.

“In these times we are all experiencing, it can’t be properly said just how great it is to live in small town America,” said Trost. “We must all continue to keep social distancing a priority. We will all get through this together, apart.”