Halloween costume motorcycle ride will benefit local Toys for Tots

The JC Paul Detachment of the Marine Corps League and the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association are joining forces to help raise funds for the local Toys for Tots campaign on Saturday with a costume motorcycle ride.

Registration for the ride will begin at 10 a.m. at Wildcat Harley-Davidson with kickstands up at 11.

“Last year, the President of the association, John Shupe, contacted me about holding the ride,” said Greg Sims, Commandant of the detachment. “He contacted me and said they wanted to do it again.”

The cost to participate is the donation of a new, unwrapped toy, and/or the donation of your choice.
Prizes will be given for the best and worst costumes. There will be a 50/50 drawing, raffle items and food.

Sims said the riders will be able to purchase raffle tickets and place the tickets in the jars dedicated to the item(s) they would like to win.

All proceeds from the ride will go to the JC Paul Detachment’s Toys for Tots, which serves children in need in Whitley, Laurel and Knox counties.

“We are expecting a large increase in the number of kids because of COVID,” Sims said noting the detachment provided toys for 4,976 children last year. “We are expecting seven to eight thousand kids this year.”

While COVID–19 is increasing the number of children in the program, Sims said it has hampered fund raising efforts.

“Right now, this is on the only fund raiser we have for the year,” Sims said.

Donation boxes have been set out at multiple locations throughout the area. New unwrapped toys may be placed in the boxes.

Monetary donations may be made at southcentral-ky.toysfortots.org, or through the national campaign toysfortots.org.

Sims said donations through the national organization may be earmarked for the JC Paul Detachment.

More information is available on the JC Paul Detachment’s Facebook page.