Car club makes toy run for charity
Published: September 11, 2005
A fledgling Toys for Tots campaign in Upshur County toured three cities on a Rod Run Cruise Saturday, before returning to Gilmer with carloads of donated toys and cash.
The Toys for Tots organization provides new toys each Christmas for children who otherwise might not get a gift. The East Texas chapter of the Southern Bowties car club recently earned a designation to carry the Toys for Tots campaign to Upshur County.
The club sent a dozen cars on a trek to pick up donated toys being collected at Wal-Marts in Mount Pleasant, Sulphur Springs and Mineola before driving back to Gilmer. During the caravan’s absence, supporters left at the Upshur County Courthouse square indulged in a chili cook-off and caught the tunes filling the air courtesy of local band Borderline.
This was the club’s second year to hold a Toys for Tots fund-raiser. Working last year under the auspices of the Marine Corps League of Longview, which sponsors the program in Gregg County, the Bowties gave Christmas gifts to about 50 local children.
Bowties secretary Debra Mobley estimated the group can match last year’s mark Saturday’s event, though organizers hoped to expand their outreach.
“We ended up making about $3,000 in donations today – that included toys and money,” Mobley said. “That’s less than we made last year. The toys picked up at Wal-Mart were donated by their customers.”
She said fund-raisers planned before Christmas include a drive in October, and the club will participate in Gilmer’s Treats on the Square event around Halloween.
“It’s going to be OK,” she said before the caravan returned from its East Texas loop. “Whether we get a little bit or we get a lot, it’s better than nothing. At least we can help some kids.”
If you enjoyed this good news Subscribe to Good News Blog
Share this
To share this simply copy and paste one of the below URL's: