Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/776310
62 nFebruary 2017n www.thunderpress.net THUNDER PRESS to ride through town without our helmets on and just our Santa hats. Even Santa was there on his own motorcycle ready to lead the proces- sion. All streets were blocked off en route as local police and the Coos Bay Fire Department escorted the parade through the connecting towns. Local riders would stop to block intersections as the parade of leather-clad Santa helpers rode by. People and children lined the streets to wave and yell out "thank you" and snap a few photos. More than a few times that day my heart burst at the seams and my eyes fi lled with tears. One of those moments was pulling into the Salvation Army parking lot and being greeted by children holding up homemade banners and signs say- ing "Thank you, Bikers" for delivering the toys and bikes. As the bikers got off of their bikes and formed a line to get all the toys from the trucks and vans into the building the children cheered and sang Christmas carols. Last year Byes for Tykes gave out 225 bikes, of which 75 were mountain bikes. This year there were 150 and Bykes for Tykes received $29,000 through their yearly fundraising. People donate throughout the year at Walt's shop and other venues. One year he made a bet with the customers to see who could get a bicycle dona- tion from the farthest place. He had bicycle donations all the way from Germany, Taiwan and farther. In three years, they have given out over 500 bikes. Any toys or bikes that are left over go to the Coos Bay and North Bend police departments to be given out to children and families that do not know about the program. It is a good feeling to know that all will be given to those in need. New to the charge of the Salvation Army are Dennis and his wife Tawnya. They have been involved in toy runs in Los Angeles, Washington, and Portland, Oregon, and said they have never seen anything as big as what Walt and Sandy and their friends have done here in the small cities, and just by looking around you can see what a great responsive community is here. After all the donations were in the gym everyone was treated to coffee, cider and cookies. The children walked around handing out pictures of Santa on a motorcycle that they had each colored and they made sure every biker got one. Walt and Sandy took most of them to the shop to display. I noticed on social media that Walt had made a post on December 23, the day they go back to the Salvation Army Corps Community Center to hand out the gifts to the parents and guardians. He had written something about a lady who came in to pick up toys for her two sons, ages seven and eight, the seven-year-old being autistic. She was crying while receiv- ing the gifts and she hugged him and thanked them all and told him she had just moved to the area to care for her "Poppy." She was sitting in her car crying so Walt went to see if her sons had bicycles and her response was "no" and that's what they had asked for. He brought the woman back into the building and they got two 20" bikes and loaded them into her car. She went to give him back the toys for the bikes. Walt told her, "That ain't happenin'!" Now she was cry- ing so bad that she didn't think she could go back to work looking like this; she almost had him in tears. He wrote, "That, my friends, is some- thing you have to feel and not see." He then went on to say he wished everyone who helped out a very merry Christmas. Sometimes, people you don't even know can fi ll your heart with warmth and compassion. It was another good toy run and another year of feeling grateful for so many things in life: old friends, new friends, health and the ability to donate time, funds, bikes and toys for such a good cause. The fact that we bikers have a blast at all these fundraisers is the icing on the cake. So, thank you Walt and Sandy Evans and Coos County bikers and friends for all you do to make our small community rock! 4 Grizz Haggard (c) and other volunteers wrench so kids can ride Tykes toy run Continued from page 52