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Bikers bearing toys undeterred by rain
Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009
 Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photo by DARWIN WEIGEL
Marie Dougherty, 17 months, of Prince Frederick takes a look at the toy she picked out with her parents Cindy and Daniel Dougherty on Saturday at the Renegade Classics 5th Annual Santa Claus Toy Run at St. Anthony's Catholic Church.
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The gray dreary Saturday gave way to smiling kids happily browsing through tables of new toys at Renegade Classics Fifth Annual Santa Claus Toy Run held at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in North Beach.
With the nasty windy and rainy weather the days before, Diane Herrington, owner of Prince Frederick's Renegade Classics with her husband Kerry, said she was worried that not many bikers would show up. She was pleasantly surprised as more than 100 registered, donating an unwrapped toy and $10 to participate in the motorcycle toy run despite the cool temperatures and gray skies.
"It seems like every year they pull it out," said Evette Howard, family support worker with Catholic Charities.
The Herringtons organize the event each year, said Nicole Quinn, program manager of Catholic Charities.
"We don't do anything but bring the people," she said of the families whose kids come to pick out gifts.
The kids were busy coloring, making crafts and having their faces painted by tattoo artists from Red Octopus Tattoos in Prince Frederick as the motorcycles rumbled in around noon with Santa in tow.
"I want to come out and support the kiddies. It's been a tough year for everybody," said biker Cliff Layman, who has participated for three years.
"Bikers always turn out for kids," said Al Kincaid, director of Calvert ABATE, a motorcycle advocacy group.
"It seems to get bigger each year," said Kincaid, who has participated in all five toy runs.
As Kerry Herrington called out numbers for kids to come up and browse the many tables full of toys, other kids sat on Santa's lap for a photo or to tell him what they wanted for Christmas.
"It's like kids in a candy store," said Kincaid, watching the kids getting excited as their number was called to pick out their gift. Some bikers watched the kids meander around the tables, while others walked the tables helping a child choose a gift or carried smaller kids around entertaining them.
Barstow Elementary student Timothy Mackall, 9, patiently helped his indecisive 3-year-old sister Tariah choose her gift after he picked out a football for himself.
Eight-year-old Brooke Grubbs, who had a rainbow painted on her face, said it didn't take her long to pick out a stuffed monkey that was wrapped around a fleece blanket.
Nine-year-old Brian Phipps, who attends Beach Elementary, showed off a package full of plastic wild animals called "Creatures of the World."
"I like to collect animals. I can use this for my collection," Brain said.
Sharron Pratt, 7, held up his Hot Wheels racing set.
Faith Bryant, 7, who was wearing an "I heart snow days" shirt, stopped coloring a Santa and showed off her Hannah Montana radio and headset.
"I like to sing," said Faith as to why she chose that gift.
Barstow Elementary School student Isaiah Foote, who had a spider and web painted on his face, said, "I had to look around" before finding his present of a big tractor trailer truck carrying 14 smaller cars on its two decks. His sister Tianna Robinson, 9, picked out a 340-piece scrapbook making kit.
"It'll be all over the floor, I'll need to shop vac," her dad joked.
The kids in the south part of the county will also receive gifts, Quinn said, as there were plenty left over. Along with the bikers, Quinn also wanted to thank the Rev. David Russell for donating the hall for free for the event, which will give Catholic Charities more money to assist its clients. Volunteers from the Girl Scouts and both Leticia Cormier and Patricia Kennedy of Catholic Charities entertained the kids during the event.
With more than 150 kids and about the same number of adults roaming around, the crowd dispersed quickly around 1 p.m. and the hall was reset with organized rows of chairs ready for Sunday morning.
"That's the fastest the hall has been set up," Russell commented. Both the bikers and older children put the room back together with Howard saying, "That's not the first time they've done that."
After posing for a picture in front of the church, the bikers rode to an after party at Beach Cove Restaurant in Chesapeake Beach.
