Gallery: Skyjack Telehandler Helps United Way Slide in Guelph

Skyjack donated a VR1056E telehandler to the United Way Guelph Wellington Dufferin in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, to help the organization kick off its 2015 fundraising campaign with a splash. On Sept. 12, United Way hosted “Slide of Your Life”, a 1,000-foot-long water slide event down the middle of Norwich St. in Guelph. Skyjack donated the telehandler to help expedite the slide removal from the busy downtown street.

“The Skyjack telehandler made our cleanup efforts much simpler,” said Colleen Murdoch, communications director at United Way Guelph Wellington Dufferin. “I don’t know if it would have been possible to lift the slide section with only human power.”

Skyjack donated the telehandler to help remove the slid as part of its 30 for 30 Partners campaign, a charity campaign honoring the company’s 30 years in business.

The United Way had only a short time to clear the street to allow traffic to resume in the heart of downtown Guelph. The slide was broken down into 11 pieces that were 100 feet long and weighed about 1,200 pounds each. The VR1056E telehandler’s lifting capacity of 10,000 pounds made moving the pieces onto a trailer – which would have required 10 to 12 people to do – an easy task.

“Thanks to Skyjack’s support, we were able to clear the street and reopen it for drivers in less time than anticipated,” Murdoch said.

Now in its 75^th year of operation, United Way Guelph Wellington Dufferin serves 95 local service programs and has raised $48 million for the community.