Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Donations to support local children during the holiday season

 

POLK COUNTY— The 21st annual Polk County Toy Run is set to take place on Saturday, November 25. The yearly tradition, held on the Saturday following Thanksgiving, sees hundreds of motorcyclists parading through Polk County all with the same purpose—to support local underserved children during the holiday season.

After a successful turnout last year, where over 500 motorcyclists registered to take part in the tradition, the starting point of the parade route has changed, moving from Saluda Fire Department to Tryon Arts & Crafts School to have more parking capacity.

Motorcyclists can begin registration at 10 a.m. at TACS by paying a $10 entry fee or donating a new unwrapped toy. 

The parade is set to begin at 1:30 p.m. and will make its way up Hwy. 176 to Saluda, back down 176 through Tryon, then take a left onto E. Rutherford St. to head through downtown Landrum. The Toy Run will then travel along Hwy. 14 and take a left on Hwy. 9, passing through Green Creek and Mill Spring, before turning left on Hwy. 108 and ending its route at Polk County Courthouse in Columbus. The parade will be escorted by local police during the entirety of the route. 

In addition to taking part in the parade, motorcyclists can enjoy a barbecue lunch, win door prizes, enter special drawings and attend an after-party held at the Green River Tavern in Columbus.

Motorcyclists aren’t the only ones who can participate in the event. Many Polk County Toy Run drop-off boxes will be set up in businesses throughout Polk County, where new, unwrapped toys and monetary donations will be accepted. Many of the county’s Dollar Generals will feature drop-off boxes, as well as some other businesses in the region.

Each year the proceeds from the Toy Run are donated to Outreach Ministry, Steps to HOPE, Polk DSS and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. These organizations ensure that the proceeds from the Toy Run will bring cheer this holiday season and that the toys donated will be placed into welcome hands this Christmas.

Last year, over 66 bags of toys and $28,700 were donated during the Toy Run.

Tryon Arts & Crafts School is located at 373 Harmon Field Rd. in Tryon. For more information contact Barry Gee, Director of the Polk County Toy Run, by email at barrygee1960@gmail.com or by phone at 828-817-3084.