A participant in the annual Toy Run makes their way down Dunmore Road in this September 2019 file photo. -- NEWS PHOTO MO CRANKER
mcranker@medicinehatnews.com@mocranker
The annual Toy Run in support of the Medicine Hat News Santa Claus Fund has not been cancelled this year.
It will be the 34th consecutive year of the event, which will be running quite a bit differently this fall.
“We’re encouraging people to go out and do their own run this year with their friends,” said event spokesperson Heather McCaig. “We want people to go out, follow the guidelines for gathering size and then send us pictures of their runs.
“We’ll be set up for a toy collection at the Holiday Home for the Santa Claus Fund. People can come that day and drop the toys off to us.”
Even though there will not be a big group ride from Irvine, the Toy Run will take place on Sept. 12 all day and a collector’s item pin will be handed out to those who donate toys or cash on that day.
If people are busy that day, they can drop their toys off at Badlands Harley Davidson another day.
“We’re still working on a number of things,” said McCaig. “We’re finalizing where the Holiday Home is going to be and we know that we won’t be hosting a big party like we usually do.
“We’re waiting to see what other people and businesses have planned.”
With there being no big drive down Dunmore Road this year, McCaig says there will be a video of some sort put together from the photos that get sent in.
“We’re going to take everything we get and make something special,” she said. “We’ll release it on the Toy Run Facebook page when its done.
“We want to share all of the things people are doing to celebrate and support the Santa Claus Fund.”
Follow the Medicine Hat News Santa Claus Fund on Facebook for more information.