LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. -- Hundreds of trucks hit the roads of Lancaster County to help children battling critical illnesses. The 29th annual Mother's Day Truck Convoy is the world's largest convoy and a fundraiser to benefit the Make-A-Wish® Philadelphia, Delaware and Susquehanna Valley organization. This annual tradition featured over 500 tractor trailer trucks and more than 10 wish children parading through 26-miles of Lancaster County. Hundreds of people lined the route to wave to the children, and say it's an annual tradition they never miss. For Regional Director Ben Lee, he says it's one of the best days of his life as he gets to spend it with three inspirational groups of people: mothers, Wish families, and the trucking companies and drivers. The Make-A-Wish Mother’s Day Truck Convoy began in 1990 when a child, Matt, had his Wish granted to ride in an 18-wheeler and talk to his sister via CB radio. On the day of Matt’s Wish, over 40 trucks arrived to make his Wish a reality. Thus, the Mother’s Day Truck Convoy was born and continues to grow each year. In 2003 and 2004, the Convoy set the Guinness World Record for "The World's Longest Truck Convoy" with 391 trucks participating in the convoy. The Convoy had lost the title in late 2004 to a trucking event in the Netherlands before gaining it back in 2016 with over 595 trucks participating in the event.

It took three months, more than 500 hours and $30,000 in parts for the team at Turn5 to dramatically make over a 2002 Jeep Wrangler, as part of a Make-A-Wish request. “It’s amazing. I can’t wait to pick up my friends,” Earl Offenback said when he was presented with the vehicle May 12 at the Turn5 annual block party and employee car show at the company’s headquarters, 600 N. Cedar Hollow Road. More than 400 Turn5 employees, friends and family, along with members of the Make-A-Wish Philadelphia Chapter turned out for the unveiling. During the event, Turn5 and ExtremeTerrain.com presented the Jeep to Offenback, an 18-year-old with a cardiac condition, and Make-A-Wish recipient. It was the sixth vehicle makeover donation for Turn5, an e-commerce company that sells aftermarket parts for Ford and Jeep models. “This year was extra special as it was the first block party in our new office headquarters and a momentous occasion to open our doors to the wider community,” Steve Voudouris, co-founder and CEO of Turn5 said in a press release. “It also represents our ongoing commitment to Make-A-Wish to fulfill a deserving teenager’s dream. Earl’s passion and can-do attitude is inspiring.” Offenback was born with a cardiac condition called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and has undergone three open heart surgeries since birth. A Jeep lover and fan of the movie “The Fast and the Furious,” Offenback’s wish was to have his 2002 Jeep Wrangler Sport overhauled. His wish list included a new paint job, new tires; lift kit, and repairs to the engine and transmission. Turn5 stepped in, starting the remodel in January. Among the vehicle modifications were: Fuel Revolver Milled Wheels with Mickey Thompson off-road tires, custom front and rear bumpers; Teraflex 5 inch suspension lift; KC Light bars; Line-X exterior paint; custom seats; rebuilt axles; power soft top; and a rebuilt engine and transmission. As the process got underway the Turn5 team ran into a big challenge, according to the release. Excessive frame rot left the Turn5 team with no choice but to begin a body off of frame restoration. After an initial replacement frame didn’t work out, the team was able to locate a second frame and move forward with the project. “I can’t say enough about Turn5 and the great people that make up this company. They really understand the mission of Make-A-Wish and it’s an honor and pleasure to be friends,” Dennis Heron, Philadelphia Chapter President and CEO of Make-A-Wish said in the release. To date, Turn5 employees, vendors, and customers have donated $249,000 to the Make-A-Wish organization. The company supports Make-A-Wish by donating all parts and labor for vehicle makeovers. In addition to Offenback’s Jeep Wrangler, Turn5 has donated a 1996 F-150 makeover to another area Make-A-Wish recipient and has made over the jeep of a Delaware County police officer wounded on the job. Turn5 also donates all proceeds from its annual AmericanMuscle Car Show to Make-A-Wish. The Car Show will be held in Mohnton, Berks County on Saturday, June 16, 2018.

A boy whose age and bad health would normally bar him from flying a helicopter took the controls briefly Tuesday during a Make-A-Wish visit to the nation's oldest helicopter manufacturer. "You ready to go, Dad?" William Beyer, 6, asked his father, Wes Beyer, inside a Sikorsky S-76, a high-end helicopter outfitted for its wealthy passengers like the fanciest SUV. William sat next to pilot Ray Altieri in the cockpit, looking the part of chopper crew with flight suit, aviator shades and a black cap. He brought his favorite stuffed animal, Licorice the cat, along for the ride. Wes Beyer sat in the back in the fancy commuter passenger section where reading material included a glossy Houses of The Hamptons pamphlet. During the 10-minute flight about 1,000 to 2,000 feet above Trumbull and the Housatonic River, Altieri gave his co-pilot a quick turn at the controls before returning the massive chopper to the factory helipad. "He got a little stick time in," Altieri said. "He did just fine. He was all set to go. I don't know who had more fun — him or us." The four-hour visit started with a trip to the Sikorsky complex in a fancy limo, two short chopper flights — a 20-minute shoreline trip for the entire Beyer family and the second one with little William in the cockpit — and a factory tour after lunch. The day was arranged by the Connecticut chapter of the Make-A-Wish foundation, a national nonprofit that grants wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses. William was born with a rare heart defect called hypoplastic right heart syndrome. He spent his first year in a hospital, had a heart transplant at 10 months and has struggled with medical problems since. He will likely need another heart transplant in his teens, doctors say. His parents, Wes and Michelle, and brother Jake, 4, also came to Sikorsky for the tour and events. Like his big brother, Jake brought along a favorite toy — a stuffed dog named Rena. "William has been overexcited the last few days," Wes Beyer said on the landing pad before the factory tour began. "He's been through more than any kid should. So days like this are wonderful." The Beyers are from Collegeville, Pa., near Philadelphia. When William asked to see where helicopters are made, the Connecticut chapter helped arrange the visit to Sikorsky. The visit is the first Make-A-Wish event at Sikorsky, a premier defense plant with very strict security. William and his family were given tours of things most visitors cannot see — training facilities, the assembly and a military hangar. Company president Dan Schultz greeted the Beyers, gave William an aviator's jacket and even helped the tiny pilot into the coat and rolled up the cuffs to fit. At some point in the day, William was to get a honorary helicopter pilot license. Catherine H. Sneed, one of the Sikorsky officials there to assist the Beyers, said the family was going to have a rare treat — a visit to where aircraft are made, a place usually off-limits to the public. "I talked to a lot of guys in the plant and no one can ever recall any visit like this," she said.