Toy Run tradition has deep roots

The 34th annual Harley Davidson Toy Run is set to kick off this weekend. However, the origins of the Toy Run tradition date back even earlier than the first official ride.

In the fall of 1988, a local group of motorcycle enthusiasts included Green River citizens Shelly and Dave Nihart, Lawrence Ortega, and Burl Coleman, who were known for being a little too loud and a little too fast. This group was looking for a way to show the community their authentic selves.

According to Burl Coleman, who played Santa for the first Toy Run and for several subsequent runs, the Nihart family got the idea up and running.

"Shelly Nihart and her family got everyone together and asked if anyone wanted to do a Toy Run," he explalined. "They asked me if I would wear the Santa suit and I was happy to, because I could wear warm clothes under it because it was so cold outside that year."

Coleman reflected fondly on that first run, recalling how it became a family event for him.

"When I was 'Santa' for our first toy run in Green River, my daughter Dusty played an elf and rode on the back of my 1936 Harley Davidson 'Knucklehead,'" he recalled.

The birth of video cameras for consumers, also in 1988, meant that the event could also be captured in a digital format.

"Shelly filmed from the back of her brother's truck," Coleman said. "We took a ride through the tunnels and then went up Uinta to the old City Market where Family Dollar is now. It was a new thing to be recorded."

Coleman said with the first event being a success, other local organizations got involved the following year, where he was honored once again to play Santa.

"The next year the Vietnam Vets cosponsored the run with Flaming Gorge Davidson of Green River," he explained. "A veteran named Dutch, the president of the Vietnam Vets, asked me if I would play Santa again, and I did that for a few years after that and was happy to do it."

According to Flaming Gorge Harley Davidson Owner and General Manager Dennis Laughlin, around 1990 Flaming Gorge Harley Davidson became the sole sponsor of the event. He noted that in his many years of doing the run, he has seen up to 200 motorcycles participate, although he added that turnout is dependent on weather, and sometimes vehicles have been used instead of motorcycles.

"I have no idea how many children we have helped, but it is a lot," Laughlin said. "There have been times where we filled a dozen tables at the fire station to the max and stacked toys under them."

Laughlin also noted that other riding groups in the area do their own toy drives, but often bring toys to help out with the Flaming Gorge Harley Davidson ride as well. The American Legion Riders out of Rock Springs have been especially helpful, he said. Other individuals have also helped with the event over time, such as Green River Resident Shawna Dockter. Dockter often makes a Harley quilt that she raffles off and donates the proceeds to the Toy Run, which she is doing again this year. Raffle tickets can be bought at the shop up until the minute the parade ride leaves, according to Laughlin.

Flaming Gorge Harley Davidson would also like to thank the Green River Police and Fire Departments, The Wyoming Highway Patrol, the Rock Springs Police and Fire Departments and the Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office for creating a safe riding environment during the event.

The 34th annual Toy Run is this Sunday, November 10. The timing of the Toy Run is always the Sunday before Veterans Day. Riders are asked to meet at Flaming Gorge Harley at noon. The entry fee is a new toy. The public is also welcome to drop off toys inside the store prior to the run.