Dozer Day returns to Plattsburgh as Dozerfest

PLATTSBURGH — Kids, it's almost time to leave home, put on a hard hat and go to work at a construction site. The ninth annual Dozerfest, previously known as Dozer Day, will take place Saturday, June 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Airborne Park Speedway in Plattsburgh, presented by the Plattsburgh Kiwanis Breakfast Club and its partners Graymont and Milton Cat. Rain or shine, children of all ages, under close supervision by professional operators, can try to operate loaders, bulldozers, excavators, cranes and more large and heavy machinery. "It's the only place that kids will be able to operate big equipment before they're 18 and get a job," laughed Douglas Osborn, president of the Plattsburgh Kiwanis Breakfast Club. "It's their opportunity to actually try out the equipment by moving dirt, digging holes and more." Children who want to be heavy equipment operators for the day will be able to drive and touch the machines, along with taking a ride in the Airborne Speedway Pace Car around the track, a jump house, music, face painting, free education, games and more. Osborn said the border guard might come in with a helicopter and land in the middle of the race track. Other companies, such as Huntley Trucking, Fuller Trucking, Kubricky Construction and George Moore Truck & Equipment Corp., might all return for another year, as well. Also, there will be a Pros vs. Joes competition for the adults where professionals and non-professionals will compete against other members in their group operating and completing specific tasks with a backhoe for the honorary golden shovel award. DOZER DAY LIFT Before Dozerfest came to be, Dozer Day was born in 2006 under the direction of Tonia Finnegan and Kathleen Hazel, both Kiwanians with the Plattsburgh Kiwanis Breakfast Club. The two Kiwanians called on Graymont for help, which led to a nine year partnership. With the help of them and numerous local construction companies, the Kiwanians launched their first event. For the first few years, the event was held at the Clinton County Fairgrounds with tractors, loaders, dump trucks and more. Since the initial event was a huge success, they knew they had started an event with the potential to the grow. In Fall 2014, the Plattsburgh Kiwanis Breakfast Club was notified that a foundation on the west coast are in the process of trademarking the brand "Dozer Day" and they asked the club to cease using "Dozer Day" or pay a $5,000 fee for the right to use said name. After much discussion and negotiating, the club felt that it was in the best interest of the organization and the local community to rebrand the Plattsburgh event and call it Dozerfest. "The crowd gets bigger every year and we tend to have more equipment show up every year," Osborn said, "so we wanted more of a festival-like atmosphere." THE NEW GOAL The mission of Dozerfest, along with the Plattsburgh Breakfast Kiwanis Club, is to raise funds for local charities that directly benefit local children, including The Ted K. Center, JCEO Summer Camp Program, Shine on!, The Imaginarium Children's Museum, Journey Into Reading and more. In 2014, the event brought in over 4,500 visitors and raised over $30,000 for these local charities. The Plattsburgh Kiwanis Breakfast Club hopes to break the amount they made last year for children in the community. "It's basically the big thing for kids in the community who will operate this big equipment," Osborn said. "Our goal is to have a good time, make people aware of who we are and what we do for the community and help out the organizations helping children that need our help. "Just the look on their faces is enough to make it all worthwhile." Tickets cost $5 for adults, $4 for children 4-12 and free for children 3 and under. Tickets are available at the Airborne Park Speedway gates the day of the event. Visit the Plattsburgh Kiwanis Breakfast Club's website (www.plattsburghdozerfest.org) or Facebook page for more information or to make a donation or call 518-569-8003 or email stoner@westelcom.com.

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Dozer Day returns to Plattsburgh as Dozerfest

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