By Jonathan Riley / jriley@morningsun.net
PITTSBURG, Kan. — More than 90 area bikers met Saturday at the Big Lots parking lot on North Broadway before riding their motorcycles loaded up with a record-breaking number of stuffed animals, dolls, toy cars and dinosaurs to donate to the Salvation Army for the 36th annual Pittsburg Toy Run.
“It’s for the Salvation Army’s Christmas Toybox Campaign for the local kids,” said event coordinator Joely Gath, who added that the Toy Run is not organized by one specific biker organization.
“It’s actually a bunch of local bike groups,” she said. “It’s not just any one of them; it’s just everybody comes together for the Toy Run.
Salvation Army Lt. Mylie Hadden said the Toy Run kicks off the nonprofit’s annual toy drive.
“Everybody looks forward to this every year,” Hadden said. “They look forward to it; it’s exciting for us; it’s a great cause.”
Hadden said the Toy Run sets an annual goal of donating at least 100 toys to the Salvation Army, and 2020′s event was no exception. After delivering twice its target number of toys last year, 318 toys were donated in this year’s Toy Run, setting a new record for the event, “so it’s growing each year,” Hadden said.
“It’s crucial for us because for us, you know, every child we try to provide a large toy, a small toy, stocking stuffers, socks, hats, gloves,” she said. “From this, you know, then we can determine what’s needed for our Christmas distribution in December.”
After delivering the toys to the Salvation Army, many of the bikers met up for drinks at Jimmy B’s on North Locust Street.
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