Locals rev up for Toys for Tots toy run, motorcycle parade

The 25th annual Toys for Tots toy run and motorcycle parade drew a large and enthusiastic crowd Sunday.

The event is sponsored by Doug’s Harley-Davidson and the Florence Lions Club. Its purpose is to raise money for local charities in the Pee Dee, such as the House of Hope and mission houses.

Although it was windy and chilly, Donna Bair of Doug’s was expecting some 1,500 motorcycles and close to 2,500 to 3,000 people. Riders came from across North and South Carolina.

“I’ve worked at Doug’s for 15 years and have been involved with Toys for Tots since I’ve been there,” she said. “I do it because it’s a worthy cause and I have a good time participating.

“We started at the Florence Civic Center at 12 noon and pulled out for the Florence fairgrounds at 2 p.m. with a police escort. We’ll have chicken bog and barbecue out there, a live auction, door prizes, and a little bit of everything else.”

Peggy Hudson, a former Florence Lions president, now holds the distinction of being the club’s tail twister.

“We partnered with Doug’s because Toys for Tots has gotten so large that he needed help,” she said. “And we Lions, we serve, you know? These toys for less fortunate children are really needed, especially now.”

Al Sandoval has lived in Florence for 10 years and rides every year.

“It’s a nice thing to do,” he said. It’s a chance to get together with friends, ride together and do something good for kids who are less fortunate.”

Sandoval is an Army dad with sons serving in Korea and Afghanistan. A third son is a police officer in Miami.

Ann Langley of Lugoff and her husband, Leon, have been participating in Toys for Tots for four years.

“I love doing the toy run because they do such a good job with this one,” she said. “My husband got me into riding motorcycles, and it’s a lot of fun. It helps me get rid of stress.”

Leon Langley has been riding since he was a teenager. They bought two Harleys when Ann got interested in riding.

“There’s nothing like the sound of a Harley,” he said. “You can’t explain it to anybody because you either like it or hate it.”

Mr. and Mrs. Santa even came down from the North Pole for their eighth ride in Toys for Tots.

“This is for the kids,” Santa said. “You just have to do what needs to be done, even if it means riding in from the North Pole. There’s nothing like the freedom of being out in the air and the thrill of riding.”

“When you’re a rider, you can do a lot of sightseeing,” Mrs. Santa said. “I sit behind Santa because he’s been riding much longer than I have. And it’s worth every minute we spend here just to seen the smiles on the children’s faces.”

J.R. Oakley of Florence provides the music for the event and supplies the auctioneer with all his equipment once they arrive at the fairgrounds.

“I’ve been doing it for 10 years,” Oakley said. “I do it for the kids, plus I help Doug out at the Harley shop. I’ve been riding pretty much all my life. You can’t beat the wind in your face. I ain’t got no cares when I’m on that Harley.”

Pat Denton arrived with his son, Parker, 7, on the back of his Harley. His wife, Leslie, was riding another bike.

“This is an opportunity to participate in Toys for Tots while at the same time having fun riding the motorcycle,” he said. “Parker picked out the toys we brought today.”

Leslie was riding a motorcycle with an automatic transmission. She tried one with the standard manual transmission, even taking and passing a three-day riding course at Florence-Darlington Technical College on it.

“The automatic transmission gives me more confidence,” she said. “Riding motorcycles is a family activity for us now that Parker is old enough to ride.”

Jack Huffman was riding a three-wheel Honda. He’s participated in Toys for Tots for longer than he can remember.

“I do it because it gives my wife and me a chance to help underprivileged kids,” he said. “We also enjoy riding together and getting to meet new people.”

And Huffman and his bride stay warm. He’s got a plug on the Honda that allows him to control the temperature of what they are wearing, which includes, among others, electric gloves and socks.

“I just plug it in right there,” he said. “We stay toasty warm.”

But the “we” doesn’t include the mascot on the back of his Honda – a stuffed koala bear that took him two years to find.