September 11, 2025 • 9 mins
We spoke with Vice President Executive Board, Ron Apinis and Board Member, Craig Dupre about Wishes on Wheels hosting a truck convoy and family fun day to support children with life-threatening medical conditions.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning, thank you for listening to Community Access. I'm
Alison de Murz and my guests today are Ron Appinis,
he is vice president of Wishes on Wheels and Craig Duprey,
a board member from Wishes on Wheels. Good morning, gentlemen,
Good morning, thank you for being here today. So we
have this amazing event that's coming up. It's the Truck
(00:20):
Convoy and Family Funday taking place on Sunday, September fourteenth.
What's taking place, let's talk about it.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Well, we have a big convoy that goes on that
we put on for Make a Wish Connecticut. We bring
in four to five hundred large trucks and we run
a ten mile convoy five miles out, five miles back.
In those trucks, Wish kids go. So the truckers volunteer
their time and volunteer a seat and the families get
to pick a truck in so the Wish families ride
(00:48):
in a truck. Once they get back. We have got
a full fun day of all sorts of things going on.
We've got wrestlers, we've got police dog show, We've got
a car show going on, we've got food vendors, we
have regular vendors, all sorts of fun stuff for the
whole family.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Oh my gosh, it's the best day ever for people
who don't know about Wishes on Wheels. How did you
come about?
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Wish Is on Wheel started twenty six years ago. We're
a five oh one three c and it was a
group of twenty five truck drivers that got together and said, hey,
we want to raise money. That started out as a
small organization and since then we've grown. We still are
one hundred percent volunteer organization. We couldn't do it without
our twelve dedicated board members spend so much time putting
this thing together and other events that.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
We do throughout the year.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
You've raised two point four million dollars for Make a
Wish Connecticut over the years. That is unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Yeah, we're pretty proud of that. And again we've done
it one hundred percent volunteer. So every penny that we
typically bring in goes right to Make a Wish. There's
nothing off the top where you know, there's nothing that
comes from anybody.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
We just all handed over. We're all volunteers.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
So that particular day, again, every single penny will go
to Make a Wish Connecticut. So what is the mission
of Wishes on Wheels.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Really, The mission of Wishes Is on Wheels is a
to raise awareness of children with life threatening illnesses and
critical illnesses.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
So we want to spread that word first. First off.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Second off is to raise money. Right, all the money
we raise goes to Make a Wish Connecticut. The third
benefit from us that we get to give the kids
of Make a Wish Connecticut an extra day of fun. Right,
they do get their wish granted and they get to
go do something else, but they sure like coming out
to the convoy and riding in those trucks. So it
gives them, the families, an extra day, just something special
for them.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Tell me what's it been like for the two of
you to be involved, How it has impacted your lives positively?
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (02:37):
For me, it's amazing when we're out at events and
to see the families and how grateful they are for
helping grant their wish. It's purely humbling when you see
these families that have, you know, sick children and what
they're going through, and how resilient those kids actually are
to life and everything that's going on around them. That
this little part of raising money for them it's easy
(03:00):
when you see the families when you're there for a
grant of a wish. It's an amazing feeling to feel
the energy that comes from those families.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
What I love is your two big tough truck drivers,
and then you're all emotional about these kids. It's such
a beautiful sight.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
When I joined, I didn't realize how many people, you know,
we touched until I start we started going to events.
It's there's more people that we've helped that. It's just
it makes you in disbelief of how many people. And
it gives the kids a moment of time where they
don't have to think about their disease or whatever their
(03:38):
illnesses may be. It gives them a little vacation. Sometimes
healing the soul is just as much as healing the body.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Absolutely goes. It goes with each every doctor I've ever
interviewed over the last thirty years, they're like, if your
body's broken down, then your mind will start to get sad.
If your let's say your mind is sad, then your
body will start to break down. So it goes hand
in hand. I loved smoking the band. I know you
must hear about that all the time and you're probably
sick of it. But what is a convoy. I've seen
it on television, but to be in that truck, what's
(04:07):
that light?
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Well, it's absolutely amazing.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
We'll line up trucks from rentlar Field, four to five
hundred wreckers, heavy duty wreckers, triaxl dumb trucks, over the road, trucks.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Big trucks.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
I have no idea what any of that means, but
it sounds so cool.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Big trucks, big big the trucks that run the highway
every day. Those are the people that come out and
support this very generously. And then to see those trucks
lined up literally for five miles out and five miles back,
it's an amazing site. I mean, people stand by the
sides of the roads and on the bridges to watch
the convoy go by as they're blowing their horns and
(04:43):
sirens from the fire trucks. It really is just an
amazing sight to see.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
And here, yeah, I bet the kids are like, pull
the horn, pull the I know when we drive by trucks.
When we were kids, we used to do that, you know,
with our hands, pull a horn.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
It's pretty loud for a period of time there. If
you ask the neighbors. They I know we're coming through.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
I wondered. I'm like, we must be just constantly doing
it for the kids. They do absolutely, So the convoys
at six thirty am, and then we have the benefit
car show.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Yeah, we have a benefit car show that the convoy starts.
Registration starts at six thirty am. That goes until approximately
eight forty five. Drivers come up for a driver meeting
about nine, back to their trucks, and then the convoy
starts about nine to thirty. We expect a convoy to
go out and be back by ten thirty eleven o'clock.
And at that point we also have a car show
(05:31):
going on. We've teamed up with the guys from National
Speed in Manchester, Connecticut, and they're helping us put on
a car show. Previously we've used Nutmeg Jeepers who are
also going to be there. But that car show starts
at eleven. It's a twenty dollars entry fee and again
we're raising money and one hundred percent of that goes
directly too.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
So you're still looking for cars to come on out.
What about trucks? So you all set with the truck, Oh, we.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Want as many trucks as we can get. The more
we get, the happier we are, the bigger the line, the.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
Better the time.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Is there an entry fee?
Speaker 2 (06:01):
There is an entry fee. You can purchase it at
the gate for forty dollars. You can still pre buy
currently right now online on our website www dot wishes
on Wheels. You'll see there's a pre registration. You can
click on that button and you can purchase your ticket
there just for a little discount before.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Although it all goes for charity.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
You still get a little discuss. Yeah, that's wonderful. So
during the car show, there's not only cars, you have wrestlers.
I grew up Bruno San Martino, Ivean Putski. My father
was a police officer, so he would take me backstage
when he'd be the cop on duty at these events.
I love wrestlers. Are these just Connecticut wrestlers.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
This is a group out of Springfield. They're called Planet
Pro Wrestling. They're semi professional professional guys that are working
their way up. They've been with us for eleven years,
coming out and putting a show on every time and again.
They're volunteering all their time. They're transporting themselves down here,
setting up a ring at Renchler Field in the parking
lot and then putting on a fantastic show for everybody.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
An awesome day this is going to be.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
It is fantastic to have them there and everything that's
going on.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
So besides that, we have food trucks if you're hungry,
We got the bounce house, vendors, live bands. You have
all this stuff going on and you're actually giving away
things on top of it.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Yeah, we've got a raffle again this year. We're giving
away a pair of e bikes, a pair of scooters,
and Giant Apple Bundle and a thousand dollars credit for
a cruise line. Those can be bought at the event,
or you can message us through either our Facebook page
or online and we'd be happy to get you a ticket.
Tickets are twenty dollars. Drawing happens three pm at our event,
(07:39):
where hopefully we get a wish kid to pull up
winning tickets.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
Oh nice. We need sponsors. Sponsors are always the bomb.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Always always important. That's how we can be successful. We
try to take money and make more money out.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Of it, and the only way we can do that
is with sponsors.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
We're always looking for individuals whether even be items to
donate for a raffle or cash or a service anything.
Always looking for that help.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
And what about volunteers.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Volunteers again, always need that.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Who you guys are, we are volunteersers.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
We're all volunteers. We could always use the help.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
And again all that information you can volunteer right online.
Put your name in and say you want to volunteer
and we can get back with you. But certainly throughout
the year we're always looking for volunteers.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Anything else I didn't ask you guys about before I
wrap it.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Up, well, just again that we are one hunder percent
volunteer group. You know, we're raising money for a great
charity here in Connecticut. Come out, enjoy the fun, enjoy
the day, and raise some money for some great families
a Connecticut.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
I'm speaking with Ron Alpinis, Vice president of Wishes on
Wheels and Craig Duprey, board member of Wishes on Wheels.
The event again Sunday, September fourteenth, six thirty am til
three pm at Renschler Field in East Hartford. You've got
the convoy, You've got the benefit car show. This is
Wishes on Wheels and they're raising money for Make a
Wish Connecticut. They've already raised two point four million dollars
(09:01):
over the last twenty six years. You guys are just
amazing again. Please go to Wishes on wheels dot com
for more information. Thank you for both being here and
for serving the community.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Thank you, so thank you.
Good morning, thank you for listening to Community Access. I'm
Alison de Murz and my guests today are Ron Appinis,
he is vice president of Wishes on Wheels and Craig Duprey,
a board member from Wishes on Wheels. Good morning, gentlemen,
Good morning, thank you for being here today. So we
have this amazing event that's coming up. It's the Truck
(00:20):
Convoy and Family Funday taking place on Sunday, September fourteenth.
What's taking place, let's talk about it.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Well, we have a big convoy that goes on that
we put on for Make a Wish Connecticut. We bring
in four to five hundred large trucks and we run
a ten mile convoy five miles out, five miles back.
In those trucks, Wish kids go. So the truckers volunteer
their time and volunteer a seat and the families get
to pick a truck in so the Wish families ride
(00:48):
in a truck. Once they get back. We have got
a full fun day of all sorts of things going on.
We've got wrestlers, we've got police dog show, We've got
a car show going on, we've got food vendors, we
have regular vendors, all sorts of fun stuff for the
whole family.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Oh my gosh, it's the best day ever for people
who don't know about Wishes on Wheels. How did you
come about?
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Wish Is on Wheel started twenty six years ago. We're
a five oh one three c and it was a
group of twenty five truck drivers that got together and said, hey,
we want to raise money. That started out as a
small organization and since then we've grown. We still are
one hundred percent volunteer organization. We couldn't do it without
our twelve dedicated board members spend so much time putting
this thing together and other events that.
Speaker 3 (01:31):
We do throughout the year.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
You've raised two point four million dollars for Make a
Wish Connecticut over the years. That is unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Yeah, we're pretty proud of that. And again we've done
it one hundred percent volunteer. So every penny that we
typically bring in goes right to Make a Wish. There's
nothing off the top where you know, there's nothing that
comes from anybody.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
We just all handed over. We're all volunteers.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
So that particular day, again, every single penny will go
to Make a Wish Connecticut. So what is the mission
of Wishes on Wheels.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Really, The mission of Wishes Is on Wheels is a
to raise awareness of children with life threatening illnesses and
critical illnesses.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
So we want to spread that word first. First off.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Second off is to raise money. Right, all the money
we raise goes to Make a Wish Connecticut. The third
benefit from us that we get to give the kids
of Make a Wish Connecticut an extra day of fun. Right,
they do get their wish granted and they get to
go do something else, but they sure like coming out
to the convoy and riding in those trucks. So it
gives them, the families, an extra day, just something special
for them.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Tell me what's it been like for the two of
you to be involved, How it has impacted your lives positively?
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (02:37):
For me, it's amazing when we're out at events and
to see the families and how grateful they are for
helping grant their wish. It's purely humbling when you see
these families that have, you know, sick children and what
they're going through, and how resilient those kids actually are
to life and everything that's going on around them. That
this little part of raising money for them it's easy
(03:00):
when you see the families when you're there for a
grant of a wish. It's an amazing feeling to feel
the energy that comes from those families.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
What I love is your two big tough truck drivers,
and then you're all emotional about these kids. It's such
a beautiful sight.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
When I joined, I didn't realize how many people, you know,
we touched until I start we started going to events.
It's there's more people that we've helped that. It's just
it makes you in disbelief of how many people. And
it gives the kids a moment of time where they
don't have to think about their disease or whatever their
(03:38):
illnesses may be. It gives them a little vacation. Sometimes
healing the soul is just as much as healing the body.
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Absolutely goes. It goes with each every doctor I've ever
interviewed over the last thirty years, they're like, if your
body's broken down, then your mind will start to get sad.
If your let's say your mind is sad, then your
body will start to break down. So it goes hand
in hand. I loved smoking the band. I know you
must hear about that all the time and you're probably
sick of it. But what is a convoy. I've seen
it on television, but to be in that truck, what's
(04:07):
that light?
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Well, it's absolutely amazing.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
We'll line up trucks from rentlar Field, four to five
hundred wreckers, heavy duty wreckers, triaxl dumb trucks, over the road, trucks.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Big trucks.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
I have no idea what any of that means, but
it sounds so cool.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Big trucks, big big the trucks that run the highway
every day. Those are the people that come out and
support this very generously. And then to see those trucks
lined up literally for five miles out and five miles back,
it's an amazing site. I mean, people stand by the
sides of the roads and on the bridges to watch
the convoy go by as they're blowing their horns and
(04:43):
sirens from the fire trucks. It really is just an
amazing sight to see.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
And here, yeah, I bet the kids are like, pull
the horn, pull the I know when we drive by trucks.
When we were kids, we used to do that, you know,
with our hands, pull a horn.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
It's pretty loud for a period of time there. If
you ask the neighbors. They I know we're coming through.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
I wondered. I'm like, we must be just constantly doing
it for the kids. They do absolutely, So the convoys
at six thirty am, and then we have the benefit
car show.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Yeah, we have a benefit car show that the convoy starts.
Registration starts at six thirty am. That goes until approximately
eight forty five. Drivers come up for a driver meeting
about nine, back to their trucks, and then the convoy
starts about nine to thirty. We expect a convoy to
go out and be back by ten thirty eleven o'clock.
And at that point we also have a car show
(05:31):
going on. We've teamed up with the guys from National
Speed in Manchester, Connecticut, and they're helping us put on
a car show. Previously we've used Nutmeg Jeepers who are
also going to be there. But that car show starts
at eleven. It's a twenty dollars entry fee and again
we're raising money and one hundred percent of that goes
directly too.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
So you're still looking for cars to come on out.
What about trucks? So you all set with the truck, Oh, we.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Want as many trucks as we can get. The more
we get, the happier we are, the bigger the line, the.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
Better the time.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Is there an entry fee?
Speaker 2 (06:01):
There is an entry fee. You can purchase it at
the gate for forty dollars. You can still pre buy
currently right now online on our website www dot wishes
on Wheels. You'll see there's a pre registration. You can
click on that button and you can purchase your ticket
there just for a little discount before.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Although it all goes for charity.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
You still get a little discuss. Yeah, that's wonderful. So
during the car show, there's not only cars, you have wrestlers.
I grew up Bruno San Martino, Ivean Putski. My father
was a police officer, so he would take me backstage
when he'd be the cop on duty at these events.
I love wrestlers. Are these just Connecticut wrestlers.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
This is a group out of Springfield. They're called Planet
Pro Wrestling. They're semi professional professional guys that are working
their way up. They've been with us for eleven years,
coming out and putting a show on every time and again.
They're volunteering all their time. They're transporting themselves down here,
setting up a ring at Renchler Field in the parking
lot and then putting on a fantastic show for everybody.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
An awesome day this is going to be.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
It is fantastic to have them there and everything that's
going on.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
So besides that, we have food trucks if you're hungry,
We got the bounce house, vendors, live bands. You have
all this stuff going on and you're actually giving away
things on top of it.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Yeah, we've got a raffle again this year. We're giving
away a pair of e bikes, a pair of scooters,
and Giant Apple Bundle and a thousand dollars credit for
a cruise line. Those can be bought at the event,
or you can message us through either our Facebook page
or online and we'd be happy to get you a ticket.
Tickets are twenty dollars. Drawing happens three pm at our event,
(07:39):
where hopefully we get a wish kid to pull up
winning tickets.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
Oh nice. We need sponsors. Sponsors are always the bomb.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Always always important. That's how we can be successful. We
try to take money and make more money out.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Of it, and the only way we can do that
is with sponsors.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
We're always looking for individuals whether even be items to
donate for a raffle or cash or a service anything.
Always looking for that help.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
And what about volunteers.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
Volunteers again, always need that.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Who you guys are, we are volunteersers.
Speaker 3 (08:10):
We're all volunteers. We could always use the help.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
And again all that information you can volunteer right online.
Put your name in and say you want to volunteer
and we can get back with you. But certainly throughout
the year we're always looking for volunteers.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Anything else I didn't ask you guys about before I
wrap it.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Up, well, just again that we are one hunder percent
volunteer group. You know, we're raising money for a great
charity here in Connecticut. Come out, enjoy the fun, enjoy
the day, and raise some money for some great families
a Connecticut.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
I'm speaking with Ron Alpinis, Vice president of Wishes on
Wheels and Craig Duprey, board member of Wishes on Wheels.
The event again Sunday, September fourteenth, six thirty am til
three pm at Renschler Field in East Hartford. You've got
the convoy, You've got the benefit car show. This is
Wishes on Wheels and they're raising money for Make a
Wish Connecticut. They've already raised two point four million dollars
(09:01):
over the last twenty six years. You guys are just
amazing again. Please go to Wishes on wheels dot com
for more information. Thank you for both being here and
for serving the community.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Thank you, so thank you.
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