BOYERTOWN — Riding in a tractor-pulled hay wagon, Just Farm Kids Tractor Club members and Santa Claus delivered toys to Boyertown Area Multi-Service to make the holiday season brighter for families in need.
The tractor club’s toy drive kicked off at the parking lot of the Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles on Saturday, Nov. 16. All tractor enthusiasts and community members were invited to participate. The event concluded with the club’s Toy Tractor Run to Boyertown Multi-Service.
Just Farm Kids Tractor Club members Eugene Kehler and Brett Beidler organized this toy drive to help families in need. This is the first year for this event.
Kehler was inspired to organize the toy drive because he grew up in a single-parent household and benefited from similar programs when his family needed help. His hope was that this event would bring in many toys for children in the community.
“Brett Beidler and I organized this event due to the Multi-Service needing toys for needy families. Anyone with kids knows how financially stressful this time of year is so being able to take a little stress off them would be a huge help,” Kheler said in a statement. “I knew there were toy truck parades and always wanted to do something fun for our community so being in a farming community we thought it would be fun to have a toy tractor parade.”
Kehler said Just Farm Kids hosted a coat drive for a few years and now has transitioned to the toy drive.
“Our hope is that every able person in our community can find it in their heart to bring one new unwrapped toy, gift card, or item for the age range of babies to teenagers. The end goal is to fill a hay wagon!” said Kehler.
Community members were encouraged to bring unwrapped toys for donation and drop them off at a hay wagon pulled by a tractor. Santa greeted participants and spread holiday cheer. Then, Santa rode on the tractor-pulled hay wagon to deliver the collected toys to the Boyertown Area Multi-Service to help make the holiday season brighter for local families in need.
For those not able to attend the Toy Tractor Run event, toy donation drop-off locations are located at Peppermint Stick Candy Store, Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles, and Boyertown Area Community Library.
