Illinois day of the dozer®
Great Plains LIFE Foundation
Sponsored By:
About Us
On this special day, children will have the experience of a lifetime—an opportunity to ride on heavy construction equipment! They’ll sit in the driver’s seat and have the chance to operate bulldozers, excavators, and other heavy machinery with a professional operator by their side. The event will take place in a safe environment where professional operators guide the kids as they drive, steer, and maneuver the equipment within a controlled area.
By getting up close to construction equipment, kids will enjoy a fun, hands-on experience of what it’s like to be part of the construction world. They'll also gain a firsthand look at the skills behind construction work and see a world usually reserved for those operating the machinery. In addition, state-of-the-art farming equipment will be on hand to explore.
Food will be available all day long, and kids can enjoy various play areas, including the world’s largest sandbox filled with construction-themed toys! They’ll also have the wonderful chance to see the inner workings of many other specialized vehicles, including fire trucks, 18-wheelers, military trucks, and more!
All proceeds from Day of the Dozer benefit the "Stay 4" Project; a local initiative designed to help low-income high school students who demonstrate the ability and desire to succeed yet are at risk for dropping out. This unique program has served more than 650 Illinois students and our combined efforts have resulted in 97% of those students graduating; most being the first in their families to do so.
Through the encouragement and assistance of "Stay 4", our students receive the help they need to overcome obstacles and face their future with confidence. Some have found careers in our American military, the trades, or gone on to study at 45+ colleges throughout the country including ISU & Heartland, Purdue, the University of Illinois, Texas A & M, Mizzou, Loyola, Arizona State, and Harvard!
Proceeds will benefit the "Stay 4" Project®, a local initiative designed to address the high school dropout crisis, and help low income students that demonstrate the ability to succeed, yet are at risk for dropping out.