Families enjoy fall fun at Touch the Trucks in Libertyville

Hunter McGovern picked the perfect day to run errands with his dad.

They were just passing through downtown Libertyville Saturday morning when they spotted the trucks, emergency vehicles and big pieces of equipment lining a closed Church Street for the Cook Memorial Public Library District's 16th annual Touch the Trucks event.

The 6-year-old Gurnee boy was soon touching a small plane, checking out the inside of a Libertyville police car and sitting behind of the wheel of a Humvee. He was especially excited after climbing out of a 7-ton Marine truck.

"I like how big it is," Hunter said. "And I like the military."

Despite Saturday's wet weather, the rain paused long enough for Hunter and dozens of other children to get an up close look at many vehicles, including a fire truck, a tow truck and a garbage truck.

Debbie Colodny, the assistant librarian who organizes Touch the Trucks, said the community event was started after library officials realized how much children enjoyed climbing on fire trucks.

"And honestly, the parents like it, too," Colodny said. "Don't let them kid you. They also like to see big trucks."

Children also had the chance to pick out and decorate pumpkins during the annual Pumpkinfest in the Libertyville Civic Center. The event was presented by the Libertyville Junior Woman's Club, which asked participants for a canned food donation for the Libertyville Township Food Pantry.

"This is one of our big pushes to stock the food pantry before the fall and winter," said Megan Eigenrauch, a member of the club.

Families were encouraged to visit downtown stores after painting their pumpkins.

"It's a great time," Northbrook resident Frank Lamberti said as his 7-year-old son, Aidan, decorated a pumpkin.