At Pride Transport, we firmly believe in supporting our drivers who keep our economy and commerce rolling. We prioritize safety for our drivers, help them develop fulfilling careers, and encourage drivers to find ways to have fun on the road because we truly value our employees.

We also value our trucking community. Together, Utah and Idaho based trucking companies put together the Great Salt Lake Truck Show each year. Over 30 years ago, the founder of Pride Transport, Jeff England, and a Pride employee named Leonard both experienced the tragedy of losing a loved one to kidney disease. Jeff lost his brother, Rod, to the disease, while Leonard lost his son, David Michael. 

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) affects an estimated 37 million Americans, and in 2018 over 780,000 Americans had kidney failure, requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant. However, many people don’t even know they have kidney disease. Your kidney health is a critical component in your body’s fight to remove waste products and fluid, retain bone health, filter blood, and balance salt content and other nutrients. 

Because of the prevalence of the disease and their personal experiences, Jeff and Leonard wanted to build awareness and also be able to contribute financially to the fight against kidney disease. They decided to start the Great Salt Lake Truck Show, partnering with the Kidney Foundation of Utah and Idaho, to sponsor Kidney Kamp.  

This summer we are celebrating the 33rd year of this event to create awareness, provide financial support, and build up relationships in the trucking community! Read on to find out about the truck show, the cause it supports, and how you can get involved.   

Celebrating 33 Years of the Great Salt Lake Truck Show

The Great Salt Lake Truck Show is a non-profit organization that supports the Kidney Foundation of Utah and Idaho. The goal is to build a positive relationship between the trucking industry and the local community while also raising funds for the Truck Show Kidney Kamp.

The show itself is an annual charity event held at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah. It features trucks from around the country that come to show their trucks, in hopes of winning a Sponsor’s Choice Award, or the highly coveted Competitor’s Choice Award. Competitors compete in categories like “Best in Show” and “Competitor’s Choice Award” while allowing attendees to view some of the most interesting big rigs in America. 

In addition to the amazing trucks, there are also lots of fun things for the family to participate in. Past events have included live music, games, food, and a silent auction to raise funds for Kidney Kamp. 

This year the Great Salt Lake Truck Show is on August 12th and 13th at Thanksgiving Point. Attending the truck show is FREE so anyone can come and look around! There will be lots to do and see, as well as opportunities to purchase food, treats, and items on the silent auction. All proceeds from the event go to making Kidney Kamp possible.

The real joy of this event is for the truck drivers who get to spend time with friends, while also getting to show off their trucks. Drivers spend their careers on the road, so the opportunity to be together in one place with so many fellow drivers is a really special time that many look forward to all year long. 

The Cause: Truck Show Family Kidney Kamp

So what is Kidney Kamp? It’s an incredibly special camp experience for kids between 8 and 17 years old who have had heart, liver, lung, or kidney transplants. As transplant recipients, these kids have missed out on a lot of the experiences typical of childhood. For many, participating in activities like summer camp simply isn’t possible with their medical challenges, even after transplants have been successful. 

That’s where Kidney Kamp comes in. The National Kidney Foundation of Utah and Idaho provides a specialized camp experience for these kids, designed to help them build their confidence and self-esteem in an adventurous (but safe) outdoor environment that is just for them.

At Kidney Kamp, kids can experience things like horseback riding, swimming, hiking, obstacle courses, and ropes courses that are all created with them in mind. Basketball, shuffleboard, miniature golf, craft projects, and speakers are all regular favorites at Kidney Kamp. Best of all, the event builds relationships between kids and families who share common challenges, giving them the opportunity to encourage each other and find support and friendship.

Each year, thanks to the donations made through the Great Salt Lake Truck Show, dialysis and transplant patients are able to attend camps along the Wasatch Front. The show has grown so much that last year 200 participants were able to benefit from the donations of our community! Over the years of the show we’ve been able to raise over a million dollars to support the camp, and we can’t wait to add to that contribution this year. 

Be Part of the 33rd Annual Great Salt Lake Truck Show

Wondering how you can be a part of the Great Salt Lake Truck Show? 

If you’re a truck driver, you can bring your truck and join the fun! Registration is now open for the event. A $75 fee is required to enter your truck (a donation to Kidney Kamp!) as well as some basic information about you and your vehicle. Shine up your rig and come join us for an amazing weekend!

Not a truck driver? Bring your family and friends to enjoy some incredible vehicles, food, music, and activities for FREE! If you can’t make it to the event you still have the chance to donate to the cause through the Great Salt Lake Truck Show website. We are so grateful for your support!

This is also a great chance to learn about life as a truck driver and see if it might be a great fit for you.