Unchained Brotherhood exceeds toy drive goal
Jessica Goldsmith lifts a sack of toys into a box at the Moses Lake Food Bank on Wednesday. The toys were gathered during two drives this month held by the Unchained Brotherhood Motorcycle Group. Photo by Lynne Lynch/Columbia Basin Herald
MOSES LAKE — The Unchained Brotherhood Motorcycle Group surpassed its goal by raising more than $16,500 worth of toys for Moses Lake-area children.
The club’s initial goal was to gather $12,000 in donations and toys during two separate toy drives on Dec. 6 and Dec. 13.
They brought in $4,500 more than their goal.
The toys will be distributed to children on Saturday at the Moses Lake Food Bank.
“The people in this community gave really well,” said the club’s chapter President Tony Hofstetter. “They deserve most of the credit. They’re the ones who reached into their pockets and gave.”
Club member Rod Moises said they delivered 17 boxes of toys to the food bank this week.
Hofstetter said he didn’t know why people gave more this year.
“Maybe people are aware of the recession we’re in and they just wanted to give more,” Hofstetter noted.
The group raised $12,000 and the remaining figure represented toys donated during the two drives to come to $16,500, he explained.
The Christian Motorcyclists Association dropped off two bikes for the drive, Big R delivered between $300 to $400 worth of toys and the Dollar Store donated about $300 worth of toys, he said.
The drive is in its third year, Hofstetter said.
“What I’ve really noticed is people were waiting for us and were anxious for us to get out there,” he said. “I am really happy about the amount of money we got for the kids.”
The group also passed out its business cards to people they know needed help. The cardholders can show the cards at the food bank to receive toys, he said.
Peny Archer, the food bank’s assistant executive director,
said they are projecting a 25 percent increase of the number of kids needing toys on Saturday.
Last year, 1,400 children received toys from the drive, she said.
On Friday, people can call Hofstetter at 971-219-2058 to arrange last-minute donations.
On Saturday, Archer she would still accept toy donations on the food bank.