37th Annual Olympia Toy Run

The Olympia Toy Run Returns!

Ride for a Cause This Holiday Season

No child should be without a toy for Christmas. In our part of the world, the Salvation Army distributes toys to needy kids who would otherwise go without through its Toy ‘n Joy Shop.

The event starts at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 6, at the South Sound Center, Sears Parking Lot, 711 Sleater-Kinney Road SE, Lacey (Exit 108 on the south side of I-5). You can either donate a new, unwrapped toy (not a stuffed animal) or $10.00 for a single rider or $15.00 for a couple.

Visit the many vendors, gab with some of the thousands of other motorcycle enthusiasts who support the Toy Run, and enjoy the precision riding of the Tenino Motorcycle Drill Team and the stunts of the Seattle Cossacks. Then, at 1:00 p.m. set out, four abreast behind “Santa Claus,” for Marathon Park in Olympia.

You’ll get a thrill from the sound of thousands of bikes revving up and you’ll be happy to see and hear the crowds who gather to applaud and cheer along the route. But what will warm your heart and soul will be thinking of a child who’s been going through a rough time and how his or her eyes will light up when they receive the gift you’ve donated.

The Olympia Toy Run is a family event and, from shopping for new toys to the ride itself, it’s a great way to gently introduce children to the reality that some kids are not as secure and fortunate.

All street-legal bikes are welcome. Many people decorate their bikes (safely) with candy canes, bows and the like. Dress warmly and prepare to have a wonderful time in the spirit of the season.

In case you can’t get to the Toy Run, you can drop off your toy at one of these seventeen sites: http://olytoyrun.chrome-horse.net/?page_id=32.