The Saline County Career Center parking lot was transformed into a dining plaza on May 10
when 17 vendors set up food trucks to serve high school students, staff and the community.
This annual event is organized by Tracy Crumbaugh’s business classes.
For the past few years, the Saline County Career Center has hosted a full day dedicated
to eating from food trucks right in the parking lot. On May 10 a total of 17 food truck vendors
took part in the annual event, and Tracy Crumbaugh, career center business teacher, said her
classes put in months of effort to organize the affair for the entire community to enjoy.
Crumbaugh works overtime to put this day together.
“Back in November and December the entrepreneur class started researching food
trucks in our area,” said Crumbaugh. “I do provide a list of trucks that have been here before,
and they decide who we invite, and they reach out in multiple ways – by email, by phone calls
and more. They do all the contact. We let them know why, what, how and when.”
When the food trucks are set up at the school, both the vendors and SCCC benefit
financially.
“Typically, when the trucks come to an event, they will do a vendor fee; we don’t do
that,” said Crumbaugh. “The money that the food truck vendors make from their time out in
the parking lot is from their sales from the school. At the end of the day, we ask that the
vendors give a donation to the FBLA chapter because that is our only fundraiser; normally they
are very generous. The students work in the food trucks all day with them to help serve the
community.”
Since the food trucks would be serving hundreds of students at a public high school as
well as the general public, the vendors needed to have a layout that worked for the school and
the needs of the students.
“We have to adhere to the Saline County health inspector,” said Crumbaugh. “I contact
him ahead of time for the day of the event, and the food trucks will all be visited by him. Most
have already been here and gone through proper licensing, but I do contact the health office so
we are safe and clean.”
The process is a lengthy one, and Crumbaugh puts her heart and soul into it, beginning
in November.
“I’ve had a truck booked for over a whole year, and even six months isn’t long enough –
it just depends on the truck,” she said. “Each of my kids gets flyers and they take them around
town; we go to radio station KMMO, we advertise it on the school signs, and we put signs on
the highway,” Crumbaugh said. “ We use many social media platforms. Everyone is invited,
and we use all outlets to get the information out. The more it’s online, the more people share
it, and it keeps going around.”
She said trucks that serve the community tend to have a positive response after the
event, and they’re generally satisfied with the result.
“They’re usually very excited. We let them know this goes along with coursework, that
the students create the food truck concept, and they are very excited to work with the students
and show them actual food trucks in practice,” said Crumbaugh. “There is never any negative
feedback; they are usually excited and happy about it, and I get good replies. Some teachers
who aren’t here on the specific day will make a list so they can still get their food.”