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When
I arrive in The Dan Ryan Woods,
can I ride around until I find my
friends?
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No, No, No, No, No! All riders who enter The
Woods, will have to park their bikes until The Parade begins. The Toys For Tots Volunteers will
direct the incoming riders, but will not permit any riding through The Woods. We welcome all riding groups, clubs, gangs, families, tribes, etc.,
but if you want to ride The Parade in a group, you must arrive at The Woods, en masse (in a group). We suggest that groups assemble somewhere in the
vicinity of 83rd Street and Western Avenue, at a nearby restaurant, school, parking lot or tavern, before coming to The Woods.
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Do
just people from the Chicago area ride in the parade?
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The Parade welcomes ALL MOTORCYCLISTS, provided they bring
at least one toy to donate to the Marine Corps Reserve Toys For Tots Program. We
encourage all riders to join us, and we frequently see bikes from Alaska and
Hawaii. Even non-riders can participate by bringing toys to The Parade route,
and giving the toys to the bikers as they ride by.
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What
kinds of toys would be best to bring?
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Over the years, as Toys For Tots Members have delivered
thousands of toys to various hospitals, schools, orphanages, etc., they have
discovered that while some toys are very welcome, others create problems.
Stuffed animals can no longer be accepted. Because of hygienic problems, many
juvenile institutions will not accept stuffed animals. PLEASE, NO STUFFED ANIMALS.
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Toy guns, knives, whips, brass knuckles, handcuffs, etc.
are also looked down on. And remember, NO FOOD, NO PETS.
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When selecting a toy, please remember that not only young
children, but many teenagers and young adults also need your help at
Christmastime. Therefore we need more sports equipment (bats, baseballs, gloves,
footballs, soccer balls, basketballs, bicycles) board games (Parcheesi,
Monopoly, Sorry, Clue) books (Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys) dolls (Ken, Barbie,
G.I. Joe) toy cars, toy trucks, toy planes, toy boats, and toy motorcycles.
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Protect the toys from bad weather, but do not gift
wrap your toy donations. Toys must be sorted by age and sex
before being delivered, so they must not be wrapped, and some
institutions will not let their children receive wrapped
toys. All wrapped toys must be unwrapped before they will be
accepted into the TFT Program.
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Where
do the toys go? Who gets them?
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The majority of the toys are given to the Marine Corps
Reserve and they distribute them. The rest are delivered, by the riders who
organize The Parade, to dozens of hospitals, orphanages, schools, and even
private homes, wherever the need is the greatest.
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How
do people get across Western Ave. during the parade?
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If a single group of 20,000 motorcyclists were to travel
through the center of Chicago, normal traffic, bus routes, and especially
emergency situations, would be severely hampered. Therefore, The Parade will be
divided into 4 or 5 groups , called Tiers. The Parade begins with Tier 1, which
usually contains approximately 5,000 riders. When Tier 1 leaves The Woods, there
will be an interval of approximately 15-20 minutes before Tier 2 is released.
This will allow traffic and pedestrians to cross Western Avenue for
approximately 15 minutes between each Tier.
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What
do I need to do to participate?
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Riding participants should arrive at The Dan Ryan Woods
with two things; a toy, and a motorcycle to ride. Non-riders can participate by
bringing toys to The Woods, the Marine Corps Reserve Center, or anywhere on
Western Avenue, along The Parade route.
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Who organizes
the parade?
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Can I become
involved?
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How much does it
cost?
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Do I
need to own a motorcycle?
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How
do I get one of those cool jackets with the Bear on it?
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The jacket that the Volunteers wear is available at the
membership meetings before The Parade, in The Woods the day of The Parade, and
at the end of The Parade at the Marine Corps Reserve Center, as well as
T-shirts, Pins, etc.
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What
happens if bad weather brings several inches of snow, or it's 20
degrees below zero? Any rain-out date?
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The weather in Chicago can be a challenge, but The Parade will always take place on the first Sunday in December, rain or shine or snow or cold,
regardless of atmospheric conditions. We suggest that all riders stay
aware of the weather, and dress and ride accordingly. And remember to prepare
your cycle also. Don't wait until the night before The Parade, to
discover that your bike needs work. If you are a biker, you are resourceful. Be
prepared for anything!
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Do
many bikers ride in the parade just so that they can go through 20 miles of
Chicago without stopping at any red lights, and revving their engines with loud
pipes?
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