From Deseret News archives:

Santa rides motorcycle through S.L.

Published: Monday, Sept. 29, 2008 12:39 a.m. MDT
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Santa Claus ditched his sleigh and roared through Salt Lake City on a three-wheeled motorcycle Sunday, leading a procession of bikers to Primary Children's Medical Center with truckloads of toys for young patients.

The 10th annual You're Not Forgotten Toy Run rallied at Murray Park Sunday morning and wound it's way through downtown Salt Lake and up the hill to Intermountain Healthcare's pediatric specialty unit. Behind Santa were thousands of riders, two vans and one tractor-trailer filled with toy donations gathered by the Utah Motorcycle Foundation. Tracy "Stinger" Woodard was on his fifth ride with the toy run and said it's the highlight of his year.

"Showing up at the hospital with, literally, truckloads of toys ... is the greatest feeling in the world," Woodard said. "We've got some of the biggest, baddest bikers around on this ride ... and they've got tears in their eyes when they see the kids."

Woodard said about 2,500 people took part in this year's rally and the group had gathered over $20,000 worth of toys for the hospital.

Primary's director of annual and corporate giving, Sharon Goodrich, said the toys the group brings are distributed throughout the year to patients and used in the facility's playroom and therapy programs. Goodrich said the significance of the contribution cannot be overestimated.

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"I have done this for 34 years and I've yet to get accustomed to the generosity of the community," Goodrich said. "It is a touching and sweet gesture that is never taken for granted here at Primary's."

Cash and toy donations can by made to the group through their website at www.umftoyrun.com.


E-mail: araymond@desnews.com

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