Bikers with big hearts: Santas ready for Saturday run to Las Piedras Park
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
Published: December 17, 2004
Those wild and wacky motorcycle Santas – bikers with big hearts - will hit the road Saturday for their second annual Toy Run to the Las Piedras Park Community Police Substation, where they will delight over 400 area children with presents.
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula Times
Those wild and wacky motorcycle Santas – bikers with big hearts - will hit the road Saturday for their second annual Toy Run to the Las Piedras Park Community Police Substation, where they will delight over 400 area children with presents. The bikers will leave the Santa Paula Police Station on South 10th Street at 10 a.m. and are expected at the park by 10:30 a.m.
The newer component of the annual Santa & Me program at the park was the brainchild of Robert “Dino” Cabral, said Calla Dominguez. “It’s the sixth year for our Santa & Me program, but our second year with the motorcyclists,” noted Dominguez, who for six years has been the substation’s volunteer services director. Although recently hospitalized, Cabral “…swore he would be here for the kids at Christmas; he’s a Vietnam veteran and really into helping this community, a very nice man.”
Cabral “belongs to a group of motorcyclists and we had about 60 of them here last year, all of them arriving just loaded up with gifts, with Santa (Police Chief Bob Gonzales) the head cyclist. Last year, with the help of the bikers, we were able to provide gifts and photos with Santa for more than 400 kids,” noted Dominguez. “To think that we started this with nothing more than candy canes and a tiny decorated tree!”
The toy giveaway and photos with Santa are available only to Santa Paula residents - who enjoy the generosity of the motorcyclists, area residents, and Weed & Seed committee members, who donate not only gifts but also the film for the Polaroid photographs.
The youngest gift recipient was 7 days old, and even an 83-year-old woman received a shawl one year, said Dominguez. “One of my fondest memories is a man came in - it was pouring rain that day – and he waited to have his picture taken with Santa to send to his family in Mexico.”
The donation driven event provides “genuine toys and books for the kids” and this year a scooter will be raffled off. “I find Santa & Me really fulfilling… this is probably the best part of Christmas,” and decorating the backdrop for the Santa photos is truly in the spirit of the season, noted Dominguez.
For more information about the event or to arrange a donation, call the Las Piedras Park Police Substation at 933-0701.
|
