Rain puts damper on Toy Run target
21 February 2012
By Alan Straton
On 15 February 2012, at a function held at the Midnight Motorcycle Club, R156 000.00 was handed over to charities as part of the Port Elizabeth leg of the annual Toy Run, a non-profit charity event.
Although the organizer’s aim was to generate R200 000 for charities in its twentieth year of the event, the torrential rain on the day of the Toy Run had an adverse impact on potential fund raising.
Annual fund raising through the Toy Run focuses on supporting children through pre-identified, well established charities.
The 2011 Toy Run beneficiaries are:
- People Opposing Poverty (POPS) Foundation – R50 000
- Missionvale Care Centre – R40 000
- Solidarity Helping Hand – R40 000
- Morewag Primary School sold the most Toy Run lucky draw tickets and made R8000 for their school
- Ad hoc charities / needy children, as selected by the committee throughout 2012, will receive a total of R18 000
The wish list emanating from all three charities was to purchase food for the children they support.
The Toy Run hosted 350 children at its annual children’s parties: 300 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium and a further 50 at the Aurora Centre for the Handicapped.
Hundreds of toys donated by participating bikers were handed out to underprivileged children across the Metro with the help of the Zwartkops Round Table 195.
The Toy Run committee has extended thanks to all its participating sponsors and volunteers for their support, without which they would not have been able to reach out to hundreds of children in the Metro through the annual Toy Run.
The 21st Anniversary of the Port Elizabeth Toy Run aims to raise R210 000. The event takes place Sunday 25 November 2012 and organisers look forward to the support of Port Elizabeth businesses, the public and the local biking community in helping to help the children.
