Giving back
Richard Byrd/Columbia Basin Herald Santa helped give out goodies during Unchained Brotherhood’s toy giveaway at the Moses Lake Food Bank on Saturday.
Richard Byrd/Columbia Basin Herald Unchained Brotherhood club members gave out bags of toys to needy families at the Moses Lake Food Bank on Saturday.
Richard Byrd/Columbia Basin Herald Elisia Dalluge helps hand out stocking stuffers during Unchained Brotherhood’s toy giveaway on Saturday.
MOSES LAKE — The Unchained Brotherhood Motorcycle Club’s annual toy giveaway at the Moses Lake Food Bank Saturday morning was a quiet affair. No glitz. No glam. Just a bunch of people demonstrating the true spirit of Christmas by giving back to the community and not expecting anything in return.
“It’s a way to give back to the community. More than anything else that is what it is. A lot of us have questionable pasts and this allows us to give back,” Unchained chapter president Zane Peterson explained.
Unchained was preparing for Saturday’s giveaway for quite awhile. The club, which has a mission to “provide an atmosphere of recovery and recreation for male bikers who choose not to fight drug addiction alone,” collected monetary and toy donations for two consecutive Saturdays alongside Stratford Road in Moses Lake.
Although the total amount raised during the two Saturday events was down in comparison to other years, Unchained members are always astounded at the generosity of complete strangers. That generosity was put on full display Saturday morning at the food bank, as community members were overjoyed to receive toys and stocking stuffers for their families.
“I used to be on the receiving end at giveaways like this,” Unchained member Michael Tompkins said. “Humble. It made me feel humble to be at the receiving end. I didn’t really know how to take it, but now I can be on this end and give back.”
“I used to be on that end where I would take things and now I can use my life to give back.”
Peterson thanked organizations and people like Rick Penhallurick for allowing Unchained to collect donations at the True Value on Stratford Road, Elisia Dalluge, the American Legion Riders, Bikers For Christ, Roadbrother Motorcycle Club, the Circle K on North Stratford Road, Pizza Hut, Staples and Tacos Mi Casa for helping out with donations and services to make this year’s toy drive a success.
Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.