WINONA LAKE — Parents walked along the Winona Lake canal, with the scurrying feet of their little ones darting back and forth between scores of large vehicles and pieces of equipment at Saturday’s Touch a Truck event, held July 14 in the Village of Winona, Winona Lake.

“This is the first year we’ve done this and hopefully we’re going to do it annually,” said Nick Hauck, managing director for the Village of Winona. “We’ve already got next year’s date planned out.”

Hauck said the event has more value than simply making young people gush over the immenseness of some of the displayed vehicles.

“This event is kind of two-fold,” he explained. “It’s to let kids come out and see things they don’t normally see. But the other aspect of it is that the trade business has really been declining in the last couple of years. This is kind of an opportunity for kids to see different trades that are out there.

The event was held until 3 p.m. and featured emergency vehicles, concrete trucks, heavy skid loaders, wreckers with large booms and a school bus, plus many other displays.