Well over 500 riders lined Manitoba Street from the Fourth Avenue Bridge all the way down to Mosaic Place prior to making the trip to the Salvation Army Citadel on Thatcher Drive. And when the cacophony of rides finally made their annual run, you knew a lot of families in Moose Jaw would be having a happy Christmas
“This is incredible and I would say very emotional,” said Lt. Lester Ward of the Salvation Army as riders milled around the church parking lot. ““This is the second for (wife Lt. Almeta Ward) and myself, last year was a drive-by because of COVID, but this year we have a parking lot and side streets that are packed with bikes and the donations are unbelievable. What a generous, generous heart from the residents of Moose Jaw and the surrounding area. And even folks that don’t have a bike, they were showing up an hour before with donations for children.”
You can watch the riders arrive at the Citadel right here.
Participants were asked to bring a new and unwrapped toy to the drop-off point, resulting in an impressive pile of stuffed animals, games and just about anything else that a youngster would love to have under the tree at Christmas.
Folks also made a host of monetary donations, and Ward couldn’t even get through a five-minute interview with MooseJawToday.com without being approached by someone looking to add a bit more to the whole cause.
“This is very exciting and we’re so blessed to be able to provide a Christmas to children,” Ward said. “When I look at the crowd here today and the bikes and understanding that they come from all over, it truly, truly shows the heart and passion of the people. They never let you down and they always go above and beyond in the community, whether it’s the Christmas Kettle campaign or the Toy Ride, they hit limits that we didn’t even anticipate.”
The toys gathered will be distributed to families in a unique format that was first tried last year -- a ‘store’ will be set up in the Salvation Army Citadel hall, and parents will be able to shop for free to pick up presents for their young ones.
“It was so, so well received last year and so appreciated we felt we had to do it that way again,” Ward said.
The Toy Run is just part of a year-round campaign by the Salvation Army to gather all they can to help families have the best Christmas possible. Next up will be the aforementioned Christmas Kettle campaign closer to the holidays, and volunteers are once again needed.
“It’s a great cause, all the money goes back into the community, whether it’s food during Christmas, toys required or special items required,” Ward said. “If there are folks who would like to offer some volunteer hours, please reach out to our office, anyone can help.”
Contact Salvation Army Community Services at (306) 692-5899 for more information or to volunteer. And for the latest on fundraising efforts and other news, be sure to follow their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TheSalvationArmyInMooseJaw.
