AUBURN — What do you think of when people ask what you’re thankful for? Bridget LaRoche thinks of truck drivers. 

This year for Thanksgiving, LaRoche decided to surprise truck drivers at the Irving truck stop and Mobil station off Exit 75 of the Maine Turnpike with goody bags full of items donated by the community. Each driver also received a handmade thank-you card from an Edward Little High School student at the behest of English teacher Kerry Lathrop.

LaRoche, a 38-year-old mother from Turner, is known in the community for putting together random acts of kindness. This year it was Random Acts of Kindness Project: Truck Drivers Thanksgiving.

She had help from her husband, Ryan LaRoche, and their 5-year-old daughter, Lena. 

A few other families helped hand out the bags Thursday morning, including Jeff and Heather Tetreault and Gregg and Kerry Lathrop.

They started at 8:30 a.m. with 80 bags, and by 9 a.m. moved on to the Gray service plaza on Interstate 95 to greet more truckers.

According to LaRoche, each bag contained an apple, granola bars, fresh-baked goods, a bottle of Poland Spring water, and office supplies and party favors for something whimsical. All of the items and the handmade cards were donated by the community. 

LaRoche said she has wanted to hold an event like this for the past five years, and was happy to finally be able to do so. Her father has been a truck driver for 41 years, and she knows firsthand how difficult it can be for drivers and their families.

“They miss holidays, birthdays,” she said. “People don’t really think of them, or have misconceptions.” 

She said Maine has one of the highest percentages of truck drivers per capita and they often are forgotten.

“People get used to giving to shelters and food pantries, which is very important, but these truck drivers often get forgotten,” LaRoche said. 

She said most trucks don’t have refrigerators, so there are only so many things a driver can have on hand to eat. 

“My dad would leave Sunday with a cooler of fruit and things he could eat with his hands. That was it for 10 days,” she said. “And you can only eat so much Amato’s.”

LaRoche hopes to be able to do the same random act of kindness next year, but on a larger scale.

“Enough people have said they want to help next year, so we hope to have maybe duffel bags full of things, with items like hand warmers and other things that are Maine-made,” she said.