
Residents of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania are not happy after learning that the beloved black semi truck, “Black Out” has been uninvited to participate in the local Christmas parade.
The truck’s owner, Chuck Timbrook said that his semi truck was a crowd pleaser in the parade just last year. Timbrook proudly blew his horn and played the National Anthem for a delighted gathering.
He commented,
“At the end of the National Anthem, the people are so patriotic there that I couldn’t even hear when I started the truck. That’s how loud it was in that square.”
Because Black Out turned out to be quite the spectacle, parade watchers chased after the semi to continue to watch. But because Santa Claus was several vehicles behind Black Out, many people didn’t get to see Santa. After the parade ended, Timbrook was informed that next year he would drive the front of the parade instead.
But everything changed when Timbrook tried to apply for the next Christmas parade—his application was denied.
The truck driver soon found an email from the Downtown Business Council of Chambersburg explaining why Black Out was no longer welcome at the parade. It detailed that the semi truck was too loud and did not fit in with the Christmas theme. Timbrook attempted to reach a compromise by offering not to blow his horn and to decorate his bumper with a Christmas wreath.
He still hasn’t gotten a reply back.
The whole incident has outraged locals who understand that the vehicle represents support for veterans.
Resident Brandy Strickland commented,
“He was playing the National Anthem … He wasn’t purposefully being loud. To me, he is Christmas-related. We have men and women who aren’t here who are fighting for our country overseas and everything else. What better time to think about them then during our holiday season?”
Strickland, who also participates in the Christmas parade by driving a Jeep, said that she will boycott the parade if Black Out remains uninvited.
UPDATE
Timbrook and his “Black Out” big rig have been re-invited to the parade due to an outpouring of support on social media. Read his Facebook post below.
CHAMBERSBURG PARADE. WE DID IT. BLACK OUT. WILL ROLL CHAMBERSBURG. WANT TO THANK. All the people of chambersburg and area who stood up and won back the spot. Public opinion news. News talk radio. And the ones who went in person and calls. They ask me to not to use horns. I will honor this request. But national anthem will be played in grand stand. I will also be playing music for our active and our fallen all the time in parade