MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- The station Single Marine Program and the Iwakuni Motorcycle Club are slated to host the Toys for Tots Motorcycle Rally 12 – 6 p.m. in the Strike Zone parking lot here Dec. 5.
The rally is held annually to kick off the Toys for Tots campaign. The campaign gathers toys for underprivileged children 2 - 18 years of age.
Community members are encouraged to attend the event and donate a new toy or piece of clothing. There is no entrance fee for the event.
“(Toys for Tots) is to better our community,” said Michelle Porter, SMP administrative assistant. “All of the toys are going to go to underprivileged families and children.”
Donated items must be new and unwrapped toys or articles of clothing.
“We want to make sure people know we give to all children under 18 years of age,” said Porter. “We want to encourage people to bring maybe some of the clothes off the clearance racks at the (Marine Corps Exchange) for some of the teenagers who don’t get a lot for Christmas.”
The Iwakuni Motorcycle Club has been planning for the rally since the beginning of the year by advertising the event in local magazines around the community.
Approximately 200 motorcycles are expected to attend the rally. A disc jockey and musical band X.O.P. are scheduled to provide live entertainment during the event. The rally will also feature food stands offering barbecue, hotdogs, hamburgers and sodas.
Mike Gingles, Iwakuni Motorcycle Club president, said he hopes the community will come on out and donate some gifts.
“(Toys for Tots) is a good thing,” said Gingles. “It’s the time of the year to give. If you give, you receive.”
The Toys for Tots campaign is slated to begin this weekend but will officially kickoff with the Toys for Tots Motorcycle Rally. Marines will be posted in front of the MCX to receive donations 6 - 8 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. weekends.
The campaign is scheduled to run until the Jingle Bell Jog slated for Dec. 20.