Santa will be making an early Christmas visit to districts across Grand Cayman on Saturday, 16 Dec., to help the Cayman Islands Motorcycle Riders Association hand out gifts donated in its annual Toys for Tots campaign.
The toy drive will kick off, for the 21st time, this weekend, with donation barrels appearing at three shops across Grand Cayman.
From Friday, 1 Dec., donation containers will in placed at Cost U Less at Governors Square, Book Nook in Galleria Plaza and New Chapter in Camana Bay, as well as at some corporate offices, such as Maples.
Then, on Saturday, 9 Dec., the motorbike association and Cayman Islands Fire Service officers will be on hand, with bikes and firetrucks, from 10am until 2pm at Cost U Less and Next Chapter, to accept some of the donations in person.
CIMRA is also working with local businesses to boost the number of gifts for children throughout Cayman.
On Saturday, 16 Dec., the bikers association will join forces with the Fire Service to get the gifts to the districts. Santa, meanwhile, will be leaving his sled at home that day, and ride sidecar on one of the motorbikes.
In the past, the donated toys were handed out at the Airport Park in George Town, association president Keith Keller said, but now the group will be making trips, on their motorbikes, to other parts of the island to ensure kids in those areas are also treated to gifts.
“It’s worked out really well, going to the districts. We began with the Fire Service Department just at Airport Park, and would go to Swamp and Windsor Park. Now, we start off in North Side, then East End, Savannah, and then two or three spots in George Town, including Windsor Park and Swamp, then we go to West Bay,” he said.
When Toys for Tots began more than two decades ago, there was a smaller population, and thus fewer gifts. These days, between 1,200 and 1,500 toys are collected each year, Keller said.
“We also get a lot of corporates that reach out to us,” he said. “We’re hoping more will get involved this year.”
For more information on the toy drive or to find out how to contribute, email [email protected] or call Keller on 916-0088.
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