DozerFest held at Clinton Co. Fairgrounds May 31

PLATTSBURGH | DozerFest, put together as an annual benefit by the Kiwanis Breakfast Club, will be held at Clinton County Fairgrounds this year. Organizers said the change in location will offer them more room as their signature festival continues to grow. DozerFest is set for May 31 with the line of machinery, bucket loaders, lifts, trucks, cranes, emergency vehicles and backhoes ready for kids to steer and explore at 9 a.m. The Kiwanis Breakfast Club team hosts this for a $5 entry fee as a fundraiser for local non-profit youth organizations. What drives the day's events is literally a team of heavy equipment operators who volunteer to give kids a chance to steer, shift levers and blow horns. "It all goes back to the sandbox," said Leon Blair, a general contractor and Kiwanis member who owns Apple Country Cabinets in Peru. Blair is part of the all-volunteer team that has been the heart of DozerFest since its inception. "We were such a small part of the beginning," he reflected. "This is our 16th year. Minus the two for Covid, it would be 18." He understands the draw for youngsters, having raised two sons, Casey and Andrew, who learned early to drive big machines and got really good at it. "In one sense, as a business owner, it helps get the young boys and girls interested in the trades. My own two sons grew up working on this stuff," Blair told The Sun. Most of the trained personnel operate equipment delivered to DozerFest by local contracting and excavating companies. They volunteer their skills for the day. "We had a skidder operator come one year, and afterward he told me he couldn't believe how many kids are willing to wait in line to drive a skidder," Blair said. "We have 12 to 14 equipment operators, they're not necessarily with the companies that donate the equipment for DozerFest." The line, which is what event organizers call the row of machines and operators "at work," usually runs about 11 pieces. There are also rows big trucks, all kinds, and different work vehicles, along with emergency rigs, State Police cars, all-terrain vehicles and more for kids to explore. The day definitely makes an impression on the young folks who drive or ride up in a bucket lift and watch the fun from above. The real pay is the grin the operators see on a child's face, something of a mixture of surprise, excitement and awe. "The kids never forget about it, they look forward to it," Blair said. "We ran into a lady the other day who told us her son can't wait to go again. You look at the smiles on those kids' faces. It's a big team effort behind the scenes that does this. It's our way of giving back to the community." DozerFest this year will have a wide variety of raffle baskets, games, activities, face painting and bouncy houses to play in. Kiwanis member Tammy Kemp, who helps with planning and outreach each year, wants people to know they have moved to the Clinton County Fairgrounds, where there is more parking. "It's just become such a community event, we keep growing. Everyone is excited for this year, we'll have DozerFest rain or shine," she said. Food trucks on hand for lunch and treats include the Food Dudes, Bunz on the Run, Tammy's Lunchbox and Cosmic Cloud with slushees, cotton candy and soft serve ice cream. "The team of volunteers from UFirst Federal Credit Union will be at the ticket booth again, volunteering from 8:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. They're so excited to help again this year. We have some great raffles planned, and the t-shirts that we sell," Kemp said. The club starts planning this event in January, Kemp said, and by August, they are ready with donations for area youth groups. DozerFest opens at 9 a.m. at the Fairgrounds entry gate. Fun continues through 4 p.m. Anyone who would like to volunteer time to help can reach the Kiwanis Breakfast Club via email info@dozerfest.com For more information: dozerfest.com The Kiwanis Breakfast Club meets every Tuesday morning from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. at Gus' Red Hots in Plattsburgh and is always open to new members.

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DozerFest held at Clinton Co. Fairgrounds May 31

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