We support Toys for Tots - a Marine charity - and help organize it as well as put the run on. Local law enforcement provides motorcycle escorts & traffic is stopped/controlled for about 26 miles as we ride around town with toys strapped to our bikes. Date is mid December & sometimes it's a little chilly. Last year we had about 900 bikes and around 1200-1300 people riding & giving toys. One of the bigger (biggest?) parade rides in the Florida panhandle. Ride starts at the local HD dealership & ends at a BBQ place that serves free food to all riders.
Some folks skip the parade route & take toys straight to the BBQ place for collection. Fine by us - not everyone enjoys riding in a parade. Cars stop, parents & kids sit on the hoods and wave & cheer as the bikes roll by. We also collect canned food items for the local food bank on the TfT ride - this year we have an additional event planned to collect food since times are a little tougher for some folks.
Whether you want to ride in a toy run or not, there are lots of opportunities to give a toy to a kid whose Christmas may not be that bright without one. Banks, restaurants, and businesses all over have collection boxes for toys for kids. A variety of charities participate. Thinking of others during the Christmas season.....
On a side note, have heard more than a few gals comment on the Marines who show up to collect the toys at the end of the run. Will not post those comments here, but it appears theses Marines have quite a few female fans.
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Topic: toy runs (Read 2153 times)