Toy Run are celebrating 30 years in 2012. Started by the Italian Motorcycle owners club to help uplift the image of bikers, it has grown in leaps and bounds.
My G-man/Schatz is on the Toy Run committee and does most of the 'face/radio/tv interviews' for Toy Run.
Many people are unaware of how many hours are given towards this one day event each year. The committee meetings start in March/April and run up until the week of Toy Run. Thats not where his involvement ends though, from meeting sponsors, 'selling' to sponsors, arranging with Police, JMPD etc. etc. his role entails many hours or giving all for one pat on the back at the end of the day and a thank you and knowing that an undepriviledge child will be given a gift. I'm very proud of his committment to this cause.
The first Toy Run I attended was back in 2005 ... I'd just returned from Germany and my BIL rides it most years and as my sister goes along in her vehicle to watch the bikes come in and make their donation I was asked if I'd like to go with. We said goodbye to them at Pick 'n Pay Steeledale and drove to Wesbank Raceway where the run ended that year. It bit me hard. I was impressed by the mountain of teddy bears, big burley bikers arriving with toys strapped to their bikes and the generosity of people
Then in 2007 I met G-man and found out that he was involved. In 2007 he wasn't part of the committee but gave an entire weekend to helping set up and then spent the Sunday morning directing traffic after he was inadvertently invited to a meeting ... his forum name of "Uninivited" was borne of that meeting.
In 2008, he found himself part of the committee and has been involved ever since.
In 2010 we went on the Cassie Run which is organised by the CMA where they deliver toys to children in Soweto and Eldorado Park. Its eye opening and heartbreaking.
As we stood handing out toys, I came face to face with a young black man who towered above me, a look of excitement and desperation in his eyes. Oh my, I scratched through the bag in my hand praying that I had something appropriate to give him ... my heart cried ... how do you hand a stuffed bear to a 16 year old?
Please, if you chooose to make a donation, consider that the children homes are from age birth to 18.
There is a desperate need for school stationery and toiletries as well.
A new initiative this year comes from a company that recycles old and broken cellphones. They will exchange the cellphones for stationery packs ... so if you have an old or broken one, please consider bringing it along.
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Toy Run Spin Off Galleries
