Collin Vandenheuvel never predicted that he would star in a popular television series.
The 23-year-old rookie at Sarnia's Preferred Towing talked about his involvement with the show Heavy Rescue: 401, with members of Sarnia's Seaway Kiwanis club Tuesday.
"For me personally, its always been a neat experience being on the show," says Vandenheuvel. "I grew up watching the Discovery Channel for years, and never thought I would be on the channel myself."
Preferred Towing, owned by Collin's parents, frequently appears in the show -- which just finished airing its second season.
Preferred Towing's Collin Vandenheuvel speaks to Sarnia's Seaway Kiwanis Club. April 10, 2018 (Photo by Melanie Irwin)
Vandenheuvel, who went to Fanshawe for business and studied abroad for a year in Holland, says the show has really made people appreciate their work and reverse stereotypes they often face.
"The towing industry has definitely had a bit of a muddy background, a lot of people think tow truck drivers are just high school drop-outs," he says. "We want to show we're more than just those high school drop-outs. We have an education. We know what we're doing. We have training to do this stuff."
He says the show also highlights dangers they frequently face, as a way to educate motorists on the new move over and slow down law that includes tow trucks.
"Before it just covered the fire trucks, ambulances and police departments, but now over the last three years its encompassed towing as well," says Vandenheuvel. "A lot of people still don't understand that. So, we're trying to raise the awareness that while we're working on the side of the road, that's our office. We want to be safe in our office, just like anyone else wants to be safe doing their job."
Vandenheuvel says he's still getting used to being recognized from the show.
But instead of basking in the celebrity of it all, his family is using their platform to make a difference and hope to open a centre for homeless and at-risk youth in Sarnia-Lambton.
They've purchased the former ABC Daycare on London Rd. and are planning a $1.3-million renovation of the space into transitional housing for youth aged 16 to 24.
"Hopefully within the next few weeks we will start seeing some renovations take place at the building," says Vandenheuvel. "We've got the permits in place, we're just waiting on construction crews to start their work."
He says while fundraising for the project has been slow going on a GoFundMe, fans of the show have been very supportive purchasing Preferred Towing/Heavy Rescue 401 merchandise on their website with all proceeds going to the initiative.
Vandenheuvel says the film crew, based in Sarnia, was on scene at 20 of their wrecks this past winter.
He says season three of Heavy Rescue: 401 will have 14 episodes and he expects Preferred Towing may appear in all of them.