Smoky Mountain Toy Run Revs Up For Annual Event
(Asheville, NC) On Saturday, December 5th a familiar sound will echo through the mountains as the 29th Annual Smoky Mountain Toy Run takes to the road to provide toys for thousands of children in Buncombe County who may be facing an empty tree this Christmas.
Motorcycles will begin lining up at 10:00 AM on South Charlotte Street in anticipation of the parade which begins at 1:00 PM. This police escorted ride will travel through Beaucatcher Tunnel to Tunnel Road then to US Hwy 70 before arriving at Parkway Harley-Davidson in Swannanoa. The cost to enter is $10 per person or a new toy worth $10 per person. Raffles and other events will be included at registration at the end of the run.
One of the runs’ most popular events is the Annual Chili Cook-Off were local restaurants compete to see who makes the best chili in town. Now in its sixth year, participating restaurants offer their wares to the throngs of hungry motorcyclists eager to sample their chili.
This year the Smoky Mountain Toy Run is proud to join the Eblen-Kimmel Charities, Saint Nicholas Project and the Asheville Optimist Club Santa Pal Partnership in distributing the toys to local families. The Saint Nicholas Project provides Christmas gifts, clothes, food, and other items to the children and families who are in need in our community each year. Hundreds of children and their families are able to have a bright and memorable holiday that they may otherwise have been without and with the new partnerships with the Smoky Mountain Toy Run and Santa Pal many more families will be served.
Donations are also welcome for the toy run and any donation received will help provide food, coats, clothing, additional toys, and other needs the children and their families may have this holiday season.
Toys and donations may also be dropped off at Parkway Harley Davidson in Swannanoa, any Beverly-Hanks Office, Clear Channel in west Asheville, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Department, UNCA, Party Boulevard in Skyland, and the Eblen-Kimmel Charities office in Regent Park (next to Sam’s Club).
Sponsors for this year’s event include: Parkway Harley-Davidson, Ingles Markets, Beverly-Hanks and Associates Realtors, Asheville Parks and Recreation, 99.9 Kiss Country, Rock 104.5, Budweiser of Asheville, 105.9 the Mountain, Can-Do Graphics and Signs, Pepsi of Asheville, the Asheville Police Department, the Smoky Mountain Chapter of the Harley’s Owner Group, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Department, Hall’s Towing and Recovery, Johnny On The Spot and the Applied Solutions Group.
If you would like to be part of the Smoky Mountain Toy Run or the Saint Nicholas Project please contact Bill Murdock at the Eblen-Kimmel Charities at 828-242-2848 or via email@ wmurdock@eblencharities.com.
If you or your restaurant would like to participate in the Sixth Annual Chili Cook Off, please contact Richard Harshaw at 828-253-1781
