Modified Motorcycle Association Toy Run
01DEC13

Live music was provided at the Pre-Party from 8pm till midnight by Charlie Brechtel and another musician who provided an intimate acoustic playing style which was an awesome laid back personal experience! Gus Alvarez, Vice President/Chief Of Operations for the MMA of California, announced that he is looking forward to working hand-on-hand with Rod Greneir, the new President/Chief Executive Officer for the MMA of California, in the challenging day-to-day business, and, Gus gave a special thanks on behalf of the MMA to all MMA members and MMA Lifetime Members for their support over the last 40 years and said he is looking forward to continuing the tradition for the next 40 years...

Sunday, December 1st was a beautiful sunny day! A cool morning turned into T-shirt weather in the 70's. Riders arriving at the Sacramento-6 Drive-In were directed by parking attendants into orderly parking rows, and found Gus Alvarez at the MMA booth for new/renewal memberships with t-shirts and ride pins. There was music by 101.9 The Wolf, and live coverage by CW31's Good Day Sacramento's news crew, a host of other vendors, ABATE and Alstate Insurance to name a couple, more club and businesses sponsors than last year, and, the Sacramento-6 Drive-In was selling hot drinks and food - COOL! The venue this year began the more family oriented toy run geared for kids - there were TWO bounce houses - one regular and one obstacle course themed. 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 benefiting 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 - this event is 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. And, 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 on a new route this year, west on highway 50 and avoiding the Busniness-80 connection (which was a real hazard in the past) by exiting on 26th Street and proceeding down W Street to 10th Street to the capitol where they were greeted by United States Marines, courageous young men in camo fatigues and dress uniforms, who were directing traffic, greeting riders and collecting toys.

The MMA's annual Sacramento Toy Run is a well planned event that is the largest contributor of toys to Toys-For-Tots in this region, and, this event has become a multi-purpose event generating toys not only for the USMC Toys-For-Tots program, but also for the Sacramento Metro Fire Department. In fact, although the Toys-For-Tots collection barrel campaign begins three months in advance, this toy run collects more toys in just four hours than all the barrels! And, this toy run makes people aware that Sacramento-6 Drive-In Theater is one of the last drive-ins in California that is alive and well. 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