36th Annual Sacramento Toy Run
~ 25NOV12 ~

Sunday, November 25th was a beautiful cool and sunny day! Riders arriving at the Sacramento Six Drive-In were directed by parking attendants into orderly parking rows. There were approximately 1000 bikes, 50 cars and 1250 supporters. I spent a lot of time walking and checking out the bikes - a lot of stock bikes, and a lot of custom bikes, and a lot of decorated bikes. Besides the toys benefitting the Toys For Tots program, this is the other reason I keep returning for the MMA Sacramento Toy Run since my first ride out of San Jose with the Sacramento Toy Run in 1979 - a bike show in itself. Toys for Tots is a program run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve which distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas.

Gus Alvarez was on hand at the MMA booth for new/re-newal memberships with t-shirts and ride pins. A host of other vendors were on hand, Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys, Wind Vest to name a couple, and, the Sacramento-6 Drive-In was selling hot drinks and food.

The MMA has established a relationship with the Sacramento Metro Fire Department which is in need of stuffed animals and toys for distress situations- they have these in their truck to give to kids when they show up at a burning home and find kids sitting on the curb without a home anymore. The riders left the drive-in at noon lead by a Sacramento Metro Fire Department fire truck down highway 50, where their photographs were captured by Steve Briggs, exiting on 10th Street and proceeding to the capitol where they were greeted by United States Marines, courageous young men in camo fatigues and dress uniforms, who were helping direct traffic, greeting riders and collecting toys.

The MMA's annual Sacramento Toy Run is a well planned eveht that has become a multi-purpose event generating toys for the USMC Toys-For-Tots program, generating toys for the Sacramento Metro Fire Department, and making people aware that Sacramento-6 Drive-In Theater is still fighting to survive as one of the last drive-ins in California. Great pre-party, great ride, great causes - put it on your calendar for next year - do it now... it is always the first Sunday after Thanksgiving day.

KNUCKLEHEADS FOREVER!

article by Russell "Raz" Holder, photographs by Russell "Raz" Holder and Steve Briggs