Saturday, December 22, 2012

Santa rides a Hog

Back in time on this blog:
I love Christmas carols http://weareone-ruth.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-carols.html

I love reading about people making a difference.  They are out there and just because I don't know them it doesn't mean that they are not caring and sharing.  

I first read about Santa riding hogs from an email that I received years ago.  The story told about a mentally challenged young adult that just moved to adult housing from the children's group home.  A few weeks before Christmas, he started asking when Santa Claus would come on his motorcycle.  The workers tried to reassure him that Santa came in a sleigh not a motorcycle.  The young man became agitated and distressed with the news that Santa would not be coming on a motorcycle.  Christmas eve, the workers heard the distinct rumble of a Harley Davidson Hog motorcycle.  They stood and stared as Santa Claus got off his bike and strode up with his back pack of gifts.  The young man was delighted and so happy to see the motorcycle riding Santa.  The motorcycle club went the extra mile to track down the young man so that he could have a Christmas to remember.  After reading the story I went looking for some facts.  Wow...Santa rides a Hog.  Follow the links for the pictures.  :)

Santa rides a Hog

Check out a few of these links:
http://www.coloradoconnection.com/news/photos.aspx?id=219315#.UNVc4o5ZF5g

Rick Cason of Arvada chats with Robinton Shaneman, 12, after the boy got his white Christmas in the form of a stuffed tiger at Children's Hospital. (Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post )
The Grinch and Santa Claus wore leather to Children's Hospital on Sunday as up to 3,000 motorcyclists delivered toys for sick kids in Rocky Mountain Harley-Davidson's annual Children's Hospital Toy Run.
"This is just a ride to brighten somebody's day," said Tom Schrah, 59, a member of Hell's Lovers motorcycle club, whose riding leathers were topped by the sickly green mask of Dr. Seuss' Grinch.
Marisa Louise Aragon, 13, sat in her wheelchair and watched the action.
"This is really cool. There are so many people here supporting the kids," said Marisa, who is recovering from brain surgery.
"This brings tears to my eyes," said Marisa's mother, Lisa Aragon. "This is great because the kids can get out of their rooms, and maybe the pain is not there for a while."
This is the 22nd annual toy run, sponsored by Rocky Mountain Harley-Davidson in Littleton. The event brings together riders who are members of rival motorcycle clubs, said Barbara Krasnopero, liaison among the motorcycle dealership, riders and the hospital.
"All the clubs come. They put all their differences aside and come for the kids," she said.
Rider Richard Burrier left a life-size, stuffed sheepdog.
"These kids, some of them are not going to make it," he said. "If I can bring a ray of sunshine to them, I will."

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_7619695

The Grinch and Santa Claus wore leather to Children's Hospital on Sunday as up to 3,000 motorcyclists delivered toys for sick kids in Rocky Mountain Harley-Davidson's annual Children's Hospital Toy Run.
"This is just a ride to brighten somebody's day," said Tom Schrah, 59, a member of Hell's Lovers motorcycle club, whose riding leathers were topped by the sickly green mask of Dr. Seuss' Grinch.
Marisa Louise Aragon, 13, sat in her wheelchair and watched the action.
"This is really cool. There are so many people here supporting the kids," said Marisa, who is recovering from brain surgery.
"This brings tears to my eyes," said Marisa's mother, Lisa Aragon. "This is great because the kids can get out of their rooms, and maybe the pain is not there for a while."
This is the 22nd annual toy run, sponsored by Rocky Mountain Harley-Davidson in Littleton. The event brings together riders who are members of rival motorcycle clubs, said Barbara Krasnopero, liaison among the motorcycle dealership, riders and the hospital.
"All the clubs come. They put all their differences aside and come for the kids," she said.
Rider Richard Burrier left a life-size, stuffed sheepdog.
"These kids, some of them are not going to make it," he said. "If I can bring a ray of sunshine to them, I will."


Read more: Santa trades reindeer for Hogs - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_7619695#ixzz2FlLbYAy9
Read The Denver Post's Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse

8 REINDEER AND 500 HOGS BIKERS, OTHERS JOIN SANTA BRIGADE FOR KIDS.

Date:    Dec 10, 2001
Words:    913
Publication:    Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
ISSN:    0279-8026


Byline: Cecelia Chan and Erik N. Nelson Staff Writer

WOODLAND HILLS - More than 500 roaring motorcycles and a dozen blaring fire trucks paraded Sunday from Woodland Hills to Childrens Hospital Los Angeles with a truckload of toys.

It was one of numerous events in and near the San Fernando Valley to collect toys and other gifts for hospitalized children, poor children and for children in foster care in the area, as well as for victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The flashiest and loudest of these was the sixth annual Ghost Riders- Funrise Toy Drive. About 30 Los Angeles Police Department motor officers escorted other motorcycle riders and dozens of vintage fire trucks through the city to deliver toys to the hospital.

The sight of the flag-flying motorcycle enthusiasts brought tears to the eyes of Jackie Campbell as she stood on Ventura Boulevard conducting her own toy drive.

``I'm getting all emotional this year,'' said Campbell, chairwoman of the toy drive committee for the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association.

As the battalion of motorcycles and fire trucks passed by with a deafening roar that made window panes rattle, the association vice president, Matt Epstein, saluted with the horn of his red 1947 Dodge pickup.

Nearby, in the Ralphs store parking lot, Christine Stevens looked down from her second-story perch on the Remo World Drum Tower, made to promote the 1996 Olympics, and pounded out a beat.

In the bed of the '47 Dodge, which was festooned with 5-foot-long American flags on each corner, Epstein's 5-year-old son, Jonathan, helped pile up toys in a heap taller than him.

Across the street, the association's Santa waved at the Santa in the parade from Woodland Hills.

``Six years ago, it started with 50 guys and a pickup truck,'' said Arnie Rubin, president of the Funrise Toy Corp., where the motorcycle and fire truck caravan originated. ``We have an incredible group of people, wonderful support.''

A 40-foot semitruck on his parking lot on Variel Avenue was packed with 10,000 toys to be donated to the hospital this year. Wearing an American flag T-shirt, Rubin pointed to yet another 40-foot-long rig in the parking lot. That load of toys is destined for families of victims in the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks.

Throughout the morning, riders arrived at the Funrise parking lot with Teddy bears, dolls and Harry Potter toys strapped to their motorcycles.

Jim and Sue Pfeiffer roared in from Simi Valley on their Harley Davidson motorcycle, bringing eight toys. This was the fifth year the two, who both work at the University of California, Los Angeles, participated in the charity event.

``We help out the children. That is what Christmas is all about,'' Jim Pfeiffer said. ``We try to make it enjoyable for them.''

Los Angeles City Councilman Dennis Zine, who represents the West San Fernando Valley area, was decked out in a black cap and leather jacket. He and others brought 100 toys from his office.

``I'm a Harley rider and a happy councilman,'' said Zine, who also participated in the first Ghost Riders-Funrise ride. ``This is what the holiday is about - giving and caring.

Ric ``Pappy'' Mead of Woodland Hills, eager to help hand out gifts at the hospital, said each rider was asked to bring at least three toys.

``These kids - once you see them, you have a human heart,'' Mead said.

About 225 children were at the hospital to receive the toys at the hospital, where about 500 toys are handed out each week to youngsters.

In the Sherman Oaks homeowners' drive, Ellen Kaplan, 51, dropped off bookstore gift certificates for older children, then came back to donate a snow-white teddy bear in red-and-green clothes after she shopped at the Ralphs, a major sponsor of the drive.

``There are so many kids who have needs, and we're so fortunate here in Sherman Oaks,'' said Kaplan, an art teacher at Valley Beth Shalom Temple Day School. ``We have everything we need - and more.''

The association donates the toys to the Los Angeles County Department of Family Services, to be given away at a holiday party for abused and abandoned children, said association president Richard Close.

A few miles away, hundreds of happy children lined up around the block at Van Nuys Boulevard and Valerio Street, waiting to get into the Knights of Columbus' annual Christmas Party.

More than 550 children went through a receiving line to meet Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and elves distributing bags of fruit, cookies and activity workbooks. Snaking around the building, the children came to tables where 60 or so volunteers handed out toys.

``It brings great joy to my children, because they don't know if they're going to have a Christmas,'' said Laura Guerro of Van Nuys, speaking Spanish. ``I met Santa. It was fun,'' said one of her three children, Julio, 7, showing off his new electronic game.

Patricia Guzman Abonce of Van Nuys, whose son, Jonathan, got a toy robot, praised the party for brightening his holiday.

``It doesn't matter what the gift is.'' she said. ``The kids are always very happy to be here and to get a gift.''
 This year's article:  http://www.ocala.com/article/20121202/ARTICLES/121209978




1 comment:

familyfan said...

I love this... brings back a memory. When I was a kid I was in the hospital just before Christmas. I saw a huge group of cyclists drive into the hospital and was a little freaked out - I thought they looked scary... not too much later I heard Christmas carolers strolling down the hall and stopping in the children's rooms. I was excited for them to get to mine - and low and behold it was the big group of cyclists. They were smiling and cheerful and kept the perfect distance not to freak me out but to cheer me up. It was a wonderful experience and eased my fears about cyclists. The group actually happened to be The Christian Motorcycle Association. It was a very kind thing to do and helped me in so many ways :-) Thanks for jogging that memory! I love these Christmas stories you are sharing. Thank you!