2023 MATS



OPERATION ROGER TRUCKERS PET TRANSPORT

WILL ATTEND THE ANNUAL

MID-AMERICA TRUCK SHOW (MATS)

LOUISVILLE, KY

Kentucky Exposition Center

MARCH 30-APRIL 1 2023
Registration for the event is currently planned to open in November 2022 on their website

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Thursday MARCH 30 - 1 pm-6 pm * Friday MARCH 31- 10 am-6 pm * Saturday APRIL 1 - 9 am-4 pm

Little bit of history....     MATS has always been a challenge. 

Operation Roger Truckers Pet Transport has had a tent on the Papa John's Cardinal Stadium Parking Lot at 3200 South Floyd most of the time.

In 2006 , our very first year was Cold, very Cold, but that did not stop the Saturday auction, dreamed up by one of our Board members, Tony H. He had put out the challenge that, if we reached $1,000, he would put on the skimpy, black, Teddy we had hanging off to the side of the auction trailer. He was doing a great job of auctioneering when our founder, Sue W, stopped him. That did not make him happy but that was nothing compared to when he learned he was going to have to make good on his challenge.

We all were waiting in anticipation of how he was going to do this because 1) it was cold 2) Tony was not a small man 3) the Teddy was not nearly his size. After a few moments of contemplation, he took off his coat and slipped the Teddy over his head and shirt. It barely covered the upper part of his body. This simple act broke open the spirit of fun among the group. One man jumped on the trailer dressed as a cross dresser. A woman climbed on board wearing a large T-shirt showing a curvy woman in a Teddy. The auction continued and everyone had fun.

The years 2007-2017 were fairly good weather wise considering this was Louisville, KY, in March. There would be rain on Friday and Saturday but it would always end by auction time or the rain would start again right at the end of the auction. The number of items on the auction grew as did the number of drivers wanting to bid. Oh, the wind would play havoc with our tents and we lost more than one. One year there was tornado activity in the area. We had our 10x20 tent anchored to the trailer behind us and truck cabs at both ends. One driver in his pick up fashioned an anchor to his truck on the fourth side.  We all thought we had everything covered. Wrong. A downburst right over us took out the tent and slammed it into one of the trucks. No damage to the truck, thank goodness.

In 2018, we arrived on Tuesday afternoon in Louisville expecting to be at the parking lot the next morning to once again put up our tent. However, it was not to be. By 8 a.m. we were faced with 4-6 inches of SNOW and we could not see the lines where the tent should be. Putting together a 10x20 tent and determining what pole went where was impossible. Doing that is hard on a good day much less this day. We were not alone in this delima. Other groups were having similar problems. We decided to rent a tent instead. By Thursday the snow was pretty much gone but then the rain set in, and the winds kicked up. Saturday was rainy but by the time of the auction, it was possible to hold it as usual outside, although the incoming rain was chasing us to finish.

In 2019, we arrived to find a major company, their 2nd year on the parking lot, had already set up their expanded operation in the area we had been in for years. There was no way for us to set up anywhere close to our original area without interferring with their planned music event scheduled at the same time as our noisy auction. The only place for us to go would have been to the outskirts. As we were contemplating this new wrinkle, two representatives of another 501(c)(3) group, Redneckanized, approached us and asked us to join their area and use their drop-deck trailer for our auction. Having been in Area C for several years, it was strange to be in Area B instead. We again made the choice to rent a tent and set it up right next to the upper deck and used the dry van behind us for our donated product. It was a pretty good set up. We backed up the Operation Roger trailer close to the tent and things went very well for several days. However, Mother Nature had other ideas in store. Saturday was rainy but not too bad. The rain did force us to use the now abandoned TA tent to hold the auction. All was well, despite some heavy rain, and the auction went on without a hitch .... Almost .... 

While the auction was still going on and bidders were standing in line to pay for their product, a 54 mph wind and even heavier rain hit us. We experienced our own flood when rain water ran through the tent and over the feet of everyone in the Payout Center. When we got back to our tent, we discovered the tent itself was secure, thankfully, but the winds had turned our 2-wheel Operation Roger trailer 90 degrees and pushed it about 2 feet so that the side was pushing into the side wall of the tent. This was despite the fact our little trailer was protected by a 53 foot trailer on the side the winds were coming from.

In 2020, we were all set to once again be at  MATS. However, Covid 19 struck hard, forcing the cancellation of MATS itself. First time in 49 years. This has caused a ripple effect for all 501(c)(3) charities scheduled to be at MATS, whether in the Expo Center or on the parking lot; resulting in loss of desperately needed funds to operate for the following year. Operation Roger is the only charity whose emphasis is on Animals. All the others are concerned with the Drivers. Some have corporate backing. Most do not. We do not. We exist on the meager donation requested when a pet transport application is submitted, on the Auction, and on the compassion of individuals.

In 2021, Covid 19 still had all such events closed down. This was strange times indeed.

In 2023, the plans are for MATS to open again.  Operation Roger plans to be there on the Papa Johns Stadium parking lot again.
Drivers, Hopefully, we will be able to reinstate the annual Driver's Auction which so many drivers look forward to participating in.

Operation Roger depends upon this truck show for the bulk of our finances with vendors giving us items for our annual auction.
Without this auction income, we struggle to stay available to transport pets. While we do request a minimum donation of those wishing to have us transport a pet, not everyone does which really puts us in a bind to meet our basic financial needs.
We welcome donations from individuals and companies.

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Directions to Papa John's Cardinal Stadium Parking Lot:

From I-65 take I-264 West (Henry Watterson Expressway).  Exit Crittenden Drive turn RIGHT.

then

A) 2-3 Stop Lights.  At Central turn LEFT.  At the stoplight before the overpass turn LEFT onto South Floyd.

or

B) At 1st Stop Light turn LEFT onto Park and bear right onto South Floyd.

and

Use the entrance designated.  Disregard the "No Trucks" signs during this show .
Be sure to follow the directions and enter at the proper entrance.

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ANNUAL DRIVER'S AUCTION (Pending)

Saturday evening at 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
following the close of the show
 

ANNUAL PET SHOW/GAMES (Cancelled for now)

Saturday tentatively set for 3 p.m.  

However, these games may be changed to Friday ...check back for updates.

CATEGORIES

Cutest, Ugliest, Most Look-a-like (the owner), Bravest, Best Trick,
Best Dressed, Laziest, Best Howler, and Best of Show

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PET BOARDING

    There is a veternarian/boarding facility nearby that has been used by drivers
.
On this website on the Menu Bar look under Resources and Pet Boarding for this location.  

Check back for information for more possible activities to benefit and entertain the Drivers.



Operation Roger Truckers Pet Transport

501(c)(3) Founded 2005 to provide transport for lost, abandoned, surrendered, abused pets to their new protective homes by Commercial Truck Drivers volunteering their time and giving lots of TLC to these pets as they do their regular job of delivering freight around the country.
 

Redneckanized

501(c)(3) Founded 2016 to educate the general public
(On the Parking Lot)

 

St. Christopher Fund

501(c)(3) Founded 2007 to provide financial assistance and medical resources for drivers in severe cases.
(Inside the Expo Center. Look for their Booth.)

Truckers Final Mile

501(c)(3) dedicated to helping drivers who die away from home or who are hospitalized.
 (inside the Expo Center. Look for their booth.)
 

  Trucks With Room To Spare

Group of truckers who help by transporting needed items into/out of disaster areas when there is room in/on their trailers. 

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Truckers Christmas Group

Group of truckers who help fellow trucking families who are having a hard time at Christmas time.

501(c)(3)   truckerschristmasgroup.org   or   tcgo.org


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Donations in the form of product for the auction or funds to Operation Roger Truckers Pet Transport will be both accepted and appreciated.


Financial donations can be made by going to the PayPal Donate button on the LEFT side of this page.  You do not need an account to use your card.

Checks can be sent to P.O.Box 522, Joshua, TX 76058
 

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OPERATION ROGER TRUCKERS PET TRANSPORT
  

www.operationroger.com
operationroger01@yahoo.com
operationroger01@operationroger.com
Text 682-622-1172

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The 2020 & 2021 GATS was Cancelled entirely...We plan to be there in 2022


Look for us at the

Great American Trucking Show

Kay Baily Hutchinson Convention Center

Dallas, TX



Look for our Booth #1017 ?? next to

R.E.A.L. Women in Trucking  Booth #1015 ??


Final Mile (501c3 Charity) Booth 2113 ??