Cam-plex prepares for arrival of truck convoy

GILLETTE — Residents, Cam-plex and law enforcement are preparing for a convoy of a few hundred truckers that will be passing through Campbell County on its way to Washington, D.C.
One strand of the Freedom Convoy, which describes itself as a “peaceful and loving demonstration” asking the government to end all COVID-19 mandates and end vaccine passports, will be stopping in Gillette on Thursday.
Although the truckers are only planning to stay in Gillette for a couple of hours, it’ll take a lot of work to make sure that goes smoothly.
Kelley Boltin, a Gillette resident who is organizing efforts to welcome the truckers, said they’ll be refueling at the CBH Co-op across the street from Cam-plex.
“It isn’t a protest. It’s a peaceful rally. We want to welcome them, give them supplies, pray for them as they embark on their journey,” she said.
There are multiple convoys heading for the nation’s capital. On the same day that one convoy will be in Gillette, another will be stopping in Cheyenne.
She said she’s expecting between 300 and 500 truckers to stop in Gillette at about 1 p.m. Thursday. They’ll be driving east on Interstate 90, and the plan is to have them pull off at exit 129.
They’ll be leaving Billings, Montana, on Thursday morning. They’re scheduled to be in Gillette for a couple of hours, and then they’ll head to Rapid City, South Dakota.
At a special meeting Thursday, the Campbell County Public Land Board gave Cam-plex staff the go-ahead to work with Boltin.
The land board members had some logistical concerns, especially with a few hundred trucks being in town all at once. Chairman Darin Edmonds said while it may be Boltin’s first rodeo, it isn’t Cam-plex’s first.
“An event like this is bound to have its ups and downs,” said Cam-plex general manager Jeff Esposito. “If we’re involved, I think the outcome is going to be better.”
Land board member Skyler Pownall said the community stands to gain a lot of revenue from the stop, and that Cam-plex should help in whatever way possible.
“This is your pony, you can do what you want,” he told Boltin.
Boltin said she has a lot of people from around the community and the state wanting to volunteer for the event.
Brandon Younkin, who’s helping Boltin, said some of the trucks can make it from Billings to Rapid City without stopping for fuel.
And as the convoy nears Gillette, “they’re going to try to slow” down so that the trucks aren’t all getting off on the same exit at once, Younkin added.
Boltin had hoped to use parking lots at Cam-plex as space for the trucks to park and for people to drop off supplies to the truckers.
For more information, visit the Facebook page Support Trucker Convoy Wyoming.
Dry goods, gear, safety items, fuel cards and gift cards can be dropped off at Don’s Supermarket, Bear’s Naturally Clean Dry Cleaners, Platinum Auto, Rocky Mountain Sports and 307 Horse Racing at Boot Hill. Someone will pick up the donations and drop them off to the truckers.

Sheriff’s Capt. Eric Seeman said the CBH Co-op has 55,000 gallons of fuel for the truckers, and Paintbrush Sanitation will have portable restrooms set up there. It’s anyone’s guess as to how many truckers will show up, but by Thursday morning, they’ll have a pretty good idea of how many truckers are leaving Billings, Seeman said.
While law enforcement will have a presence, it will be to be available in case there’s an accident or a medical emergency.
“We’re completely neutral,” Seeman said. “We don’t want it to look like we’re trying to inhibit anything.”
 
This story was published on Feb. 26.