Jun. 30—GOSHEN — Many have heard of pet blessings and bicycle blessings, but truck blessings may not be quite as familiar.

Such an event took place Saturday at the Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds, with numerous 18-wheel semitractor-trailers parked on the grounds. After lunch was served at Commercial Building A, a service, or blessing, type event was scheduled to start in early afternoon.

Lifelong truck driver Laverne Cross, Middlebury, served as coordinator of the event, which he said began in 2007 and was inspired by church members. Specifically, “The Blessing of the Trucks” was inspired by bicycle blessings at the church, and includes a blessing of each individual truck and its driver.

“We probably have at least 80 trucks out there,” Cross said. “We’ve had as many as 123.”

Cross noted that truckers from Pennsylvania, Alabama, Texas and other place have taken part.

“There’s trucks from all over the country,” he said. “It wasn’t my idea. I’d say it’s God’s idea.”

There is no charge to take part, but donations for the event are accepted, and Cross said they always match the donations.

“Trucking is a dangerous occupation,” Cross said, adding that if you find any list of the top 10 most dangerous occupations, trucking is sure to be on it.