Bikers collect toys for kids

MOSES LAKE — Members of the Unchained Brotherhood Motorcycle Club collected hundreds of toys for Moses Lake youth over the past two weekends.

"It was a smashing success," Club Secretary Allen DuPuy said. "People were just opening up their hearts."

Nearly a truck load of toys, four washer and dryer-sized boxes and approximately $1,500 in donations was collected, he said.

"Four or five of us went on a shopping spree," DuPuy said.

The club used the money collected to purchase more toys. All toys collected were taken to the Moses Lake food bank.

The club wanted to donate to the organization so they could keep the toys collected in Moses Lake for Moses Lake children, he added.

"We feel good about the whole thing. We just wanted to give back," he said.

More children are expected to need a gift for Christmas this year, said Peny Archer, assistant executive director of the food bank. So far she received 1,160 requests for toys and expects many more on Friday. Nearly 400 toys were collected prior to the club donation but the food bank might need more, she added.

Club members traveled from Western Washington, Spokane and Tri-Cities, DuPuy said.

The club parked their motorcycles out on North Stratford Road in front of Penhallurick's True Value where they collected donations and hosted pictures with Santa. They were geared up in motorcycle jackets, chaps and Santa hats.

The community came together to make the event possible, he added.

Don Merrill of Chematron Electric donated a bus to keep the club members warm while they stood in the parking lots, Signs Now donated banners so the club could advertise their event to people as they drove by and Staples helped with the price of film for Santa photos.