Cliffs Towing’s tow truck raises awareness and supports charities.
by Iva Kestrankova
Besides helping the community by picking up stranded motorists and hauling them to safety, the newest truck in Cliffs Towing’s fleet also spreads awareness about breast cancer, which is the second leading cause of cancer death in women. Sporting a vibrant pink coating and custom-made graphics, the brand new Century 612 light duty wrecker Dodge RAM 5500, manufactured by Commercial Truck Equipment, attracts attention as it stands out among the rest of the company’s white and red trucks.
For Cliffs Towing, based in Edmonton, Alberta, it is not their first collaboration with Breast Cancer Society of Canada. The newly acquired truck builds on a tradition that started in 2011, when they rebuilt their first truck as a way to payback community support. “They get us busy and keep the company going so we wanted to give them something back,” said Fernando LeBlanc, fleet manager in Cliffs Towing.
We have these trucks that are like blank canvases where we can create some awareness in the community.”
After considering many charities, the management’s choice fell on breast cancer awareness. “Everybody can relate to somebody in their family [or somebody they know] that is affected by breast cancer,” said Barry Mah, general manager of Cliffs Towing. “And the notion of having a pink truck was kind of interesting in this masculine business.” Wherever the recovery unit showed up on an accident scene, its distinctive colour immediately drew attention and made people curious. In addition, the truck attended a number of local events to help raise funds for the charity.
When the first pink truck approached its use-by date, Cliffs Towing decided to continue with the charitable legacy and pass a symbolic pink ribbon to a new unit. “We decided as a team to rebuild it and Breast Cancer [Society of Canada] was happy to back us up again,” said Fernando.
His company currently has two more thematic trucks, each supporting a different charity. One of them promotes Edmonton’s Food Bank and the other supports the Dreams Take Flight project, sponsored by Air Canada, that provides excursions to Disneyland for children with special needs.
“We have these trucks that are like blank canvases where we can create some awareness in the community,” said Barry. By using these billboards on wheels to honour different charities, Cliffs Towing shows their support for involvement in the community. Compliments from customers and the general public are proof that their efforts are appreciated. “People notice them, people like the fact that this is being done,” said Barry. “When the [latest] truck came out, we posted it on our website and people made comments about it like, ‘great looking truck,’ and, ‘great cause.’”
Every little bit of help makes a difference. Cliffs Towing chose to fight against breast cancer on the bodywork of their truck, making the campaign visible to thousands of motorists on the highways every day.
Photo courtesy of Zachary Lubbers