Santa is cruising Panama City Beach on aH with his biker helpers not far behind today. The Panama City Beach Police Department held its 15th annual motorcycle run to benefit families in the Panama City Beach area this morning. The fundraiser is working again this year to provide Christmas to needy families.
Toys and bikers don’t usually go hand in hand, but they do during Christmas, and you see tough bikers carrying around fluffy toys on the day of the Panama City Beach Police Department’s Cops and Kids motorcycle run. Diana Woods says it’s a successful benefit: “We’ve done exceptionally well this year. This is one of our best years, probably because the weather this year has really helped us out. We don’t have any wind or any inclement weather so that’s been exceptionally well …lotta bikes. We probably have about 200 people here today.”
The bikers gather for the run, bringing toys and donations with them. After taking a run of the entire beach area, they return to help Santa load the police van with goodies for Panama City Beach children that, for a change, will wake up to a Christmas with toys and food.
Last year the project provided Christmas for over 300 families. This year they hope to surpass that number. Woods said that “ Last year was probably the largest year we’ve ever had and I think there were something like 300 families last year, which exceeded any other year so I’m not sure and we never really know until we start delivering.”
The bikers, and especially Santa, say they do it all to help children in the community during a special time of year.
If you’d like to donate, just take any unwrapped gift or donation to the Panama City Beach Police Department. The number is 233-5010 if you’d like to inquire about volunteering to wrap or distribute the gifts.
By Allyson Walker
