'Something he'll never forget': Kelowna toddler gets garbage truck birthday party

Photo: Kristina Pourmokhtari

Three-year-old Alonzo and weekly garbage truck driver Rick celebrate his birthday.

A Kelowna toddler is over the moon after receiving a garbage-truck-themed birthday party this week.

Kristina Pourmokhtari said her son Alonzo has always loved garbage trucks.

“Every Tuesday, he'd want to go out and watch and wave, and then start kind of chatting with them,” she said.

Pourmokhtari said when their usual driver Rick found out that Alonzo was soon turning three, and that he wanted a garbage truck themed party, he took it upon himself to reach out to his boss and make it happen.

Alonzo was thrilled when the big day finally came.

“He knew it was coming. And so all weekend it was ‘garbage truck days coming,’” Pourmokhtari said.

Environmental 360 Solutions, the City of Kelowna’s waste contractor, showed up with a garbage truck for Alonzo to explore and honk the horn, a cake and swag bag.

“It’s something he'll never forget. He went into daycare today telling all his friends about it,” Pourmokhtari said.

E360S is a large Ontario-based company that operates right across Canada, but that did not stop senior leadership from attending the party.

Pourmokhtari said company founder and CEO Danny Ardellini, along with COO Bill Gurd and a number of vice presidents and regional managers attended the party.

"They all came out though and celebrated — it was amazing,” she continued.

“We have some amazing drivers who take the time to always say hi and smile and wave to him and just make his day,” Pourmokhtari.

Photo: Kristina Pourmokhtari

Photo: Kristina Pourmokhtari