Motorcyclists will be rumbling down the highway in the South Okanagan, looking to put smiles on kids’ faces.
The 27th annual Okanagan Toy Run takes place this Sunday with all proceeds given to St. Vincent De Paul which will disburse them to families in need.
“This is a real worthy cause. It is unfortunate, but there is a lot of families in our community that can use some assistance,” said Roy Colmier, director of the Okanagan Toy Run. “All the donations and funds we take in on Sunday are turned over to the church. Then at Christmas they go out and distribute to the needy people in the area.”
Colmier expects about 130 motorcycle enthusiasts will take part with kickstands going up at 10 a.m. The public is also invited to take part as the Lions hold a fundraising breakfast at 9 a.m. in Rotary Park in Penticton and will host a lunch at 1:30 p.m. when the motorcyclists return. There will be door prizes, a 50/50 draw and a twoonie auction. Colmier said they received a lot of help from the local business community to have great items up for auction.
Last year the run took in about 250 presents and raised $1,638. Colmier said while they always receive toys for younger kids, quite often they don’t receive much for teens. He suggests iTunes gift cards as a possible gift for kids in that age group.
“Our goal is to raise as much money and get as many gift donations as we can so we can do whatever is necessary to help these needy families. We want to put smiles on their faces and brighten the hearts of children out there,” said Colmier.