The toys were beginning to pile up and the cars were already starting to pull into the parking lot of the Langley Events Centre on Sunday morning as Ray Broderick was explaining how the annual Kruise for Kids is believed to be the longest running auto-based charitable event in North America.
“Everyone is familiar with the motorcycle run, but not many people are familiar with the car run,” said Broderick, vice-president of the Kruise For Kids organizing committee.
“This is it.”
As before, the run started at the Red Robin parking lot in Guildford Mall in Surrey and headed for Langley.
“People were there (at Guildford) at 8 this morning.” Broderick said, chuckling.
“Maybe they didn’t set their clocks back.”
Now in its 35th year, the toy run attracts car clubs from throughout the Lower Mainland to bring in donations of toys and cash.
So far, it’s raised more than $300,000 in cash donations and more than 180,000 toys for the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau.
“We have done very well over the years.”
This year saw the second best results in the history of the event, with more than 500 toys and more than $21,000 donated by over 300 people who arrived in more than 175 vehicles, Broderick said.
There were t-shirts for the first 150 entrants, dash plaques for the first 200, and decals for all as well as door prizes and trophies for best decorated vehicle, best dressed driver and crew, best club turnout, and best club display.
Each participant was asked to donate one brand new toy, unwrapped, and make out cheques payable to the “Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau.”
All toys and donations go directly to the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau for distribution to children in the Greater Vancouver-Fraser Valley area.
dan.ferguson@langleytimes.com
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