1st Kings Day Toy Run brings in over 700 gifts!
By: RockyPoint360
Last November folks participating in the traditional bike parade were asked to bring toys that were then collected and stored in preparation for the 1st Kings Day Toy Run held this past weekend in Rocky Point. The November effort brought in just over 150 toys.
As the date neared for the 1st Kings Day Toy Run, held January 10th, local motorcycle clubs continued to spread the word and a pleasant surprise came when Lake Havasu City native and Nashville signed singer Matt Farris – weekend guest performer – reported he and friends had collected approximately 300 more for the Toy Run.
Following a Friday night acoustic performance by Farris at Banditos, where Rally friends from spots including Sacramento, Tucson, and Phoenix rolled in, the 1st Kings Day Toy Run collection moved over to Shrimp Park on Saturday in preparation for the afternoon ride to the Convention Center where more than 1000 kids were participating in the DIF’s Día de los Reyes Fiesta.
As the entourage left Shrimp Plaza on Saturday afternoon, led by Rally founder and organizer Oscar Palacio Soto, it was evident nearly 500 toys had been collected for this 1st Toy Run. On the road to the Convention Center, Palacio was pleased to see bikers from the local clubs Rocky Point Riders and Rocky Point Sharks join in. A group of bikers, and amigos of long-time November sponsor Barclin’s, joined the ride with yet another trailer carrying over 300 more gifts! By the time the “parade” reached the Convention Center, this 1st Kings Day Toy Run had collected about 750 presents. Not to be left out, members of the Christian Motorcyclists Association – Valley of the Sun Riders Chapter No. 1 arrived at the Convention Center just as things were letting out and presented Puerto Peñasco’s First Lady Rafaela Félix de Figueroa with yet more gifts.
For this 1st Kings Day Toy Run, Rocky Point Rally organizers had teamed up to take the gifts to the DIF’s Annual Kings Day event, which welcomed nearly 1100 to the day’s activities. Palacio explains with the initial success of the Toy Run this year, plans are already in place to invite folk to bring down toys again in November (probably with a drop off spot at registration) and then of course invite everyone to come back down for the 2nd Kings Day Toy Run in 2016!
Save the date: 15th Rocky Point Rally November 11 – 15, 2015