December
16th started out really chilly! Near 30 degrees at 8am. Did the cold weather
deter motorcyclists from participating in the 07 Big Texas Toy Run?
Heck No! It takes more than just chilly temps to keep us off the road.
December
16th started out really chilly! Near 30 degrees at 8am. Did the cold weather
deter motorcyclists from participating in the 07 Big Texas Toy Run?
Heck No! It takes more than just chilly temps to keep us off the road.
I started the day in Grapevine (one of the three starting points) arriving around 10am. There were also 2 larger groups in Fort Worth and Dallas. What is amazing is there were already 500 bikers in Grapevine and the run doesn't even start for 3 more hours! Great start!
I don't know if there will ever be a final tally of riders this year, but there was an estimate of 6,000 bikers out of Grapevine, 30,000 out of Fort Worth and another 30,000 out of Dallas! Just seeing all these bikers with all this "stuff" attached to their bikes to be given to kids is one of the most incredible things you will ever see.
There is a $10 donation or an equivalent toy donation requested. However, there were bikes that had at least $100 worth of toys strapped to them. Plus, as I was talking with one of the guys at the gate, a biker gave the guy a $20 bill and when the guy tried to give him change he said "give it to one of the kids". These bikers get the reason for this run.
It is amazing to see these guys and girls and their generosity. You can tell some of them have a rough past, but have a true heart for helping kids and for our country. Many of these guys are vets and have served overseas in our armed forces. Last year, I was standing beside a HUGE guy with tattoo's all up and down his arms and neck. A lady started singing the national anthem and this guy stopped what he was doing, put his hand over his chest and tears rolled down his cheek. Kind of put things in perspective. No matter what our backgrounds, upbringing and life experiences, we all love this country.
This was the 22nd Annual Toy Run and it is truly amazing that 70,000 bikers, in 3 different cities, can all be coordinated to converge on one location without a hitch. Nick, Gene, and their supporting cast are the best, and the number of kids they help is mind blowing. I talked with one of the EMS guys in the parking lot before the bikes arrived and asked him if he had ever attended an event like this before. He said there are quite a few bikes (probably around 200 in the back parking lot). I said - Just wait until the groups arrive in about 30 minutes! I bumped into him towards the end of the event and asked him what he thought. He said he had never seen such generosity before.
Speaking of generosity - I have to acknowledge the Chula Chasers in raising $12,000 and the Margarita Association for their donation as well. It was amazing to hear all the groups and their donations that were given.
Their website is www.thebigtexastoyrun.com, and they will have pictures of the event listed on there. Here are a few I took. Already excited about doing the event again next year.
