By Paul Sloth
Journal Times | Posted: Sunday, September 9, 2007 12:00 am
BURLINGTON - They thundered out of a parking lot on Sunday morning near the ChocolateFest grounds, motorcycles carrying bikers from Wisconsin and Illinois.
Like hundreds of denim- and leather-clad Santa's helpers, they spread out in droves destined for places like Cuddles Phantom Pub, Ray's Change A Pace and Tanny's Town Tap.
December was far from the minds of the bikers gathered for the 13th annual Log Cabin Toy Run Sunday, the cloudless sky and near-perfect temperature making it even harder to think about cold and snow.
Once they reached their destinations, they collected donations of money and toys. Toys that, in a few months, will fill a stocking for a child who might not otherwise get anything for Christmas. The money will help volunteers from Burlington's Love, Inc., buy more toys for the roughly 400 families they'll help in western Racine County.
"It's our Christmas," said Bill Schoessling, executive director of Love, Inc. "That's why, when it rains, we have to suck it up."
This is Love, Inc.'s largest fund-raiser for the Christmas season, Schoessling said, and if Sunday's weather was any indication, this will be a good year. Organizers hope to raise more than $20,000 this year.
Roughly 800 bikers participated in this year's event, a far cry from the 100 or so bikers who turned out for the first one Chuck and Karen Dexter organized years ago.
The Dexters, owners of Burlington's Log Cabin Tavern, thought the event might only last a year, but its popularity has grown ever since.
"This is one of the better years, because of the weather," Chuck Dexter said Sunday after the din of roaring engines quieted. "If it's organized well and it's done well, word of mouth spreads and people keep coming back."
This is the third time Howard Rice has rode in the Log Cabin run. Rice, 67, who rode his Harley from Highland Park, Ill., started riding seriously again in 1999. Now he finds himself riding in runs like this one more than he ever expected to.
"That's the problem: Almost every weekend there's one of these to go to," Rice said. "Anything you can think of they've got a ride that will benefit them."
Pat Durbin of Burlington didn't think about riding when she first got involved with the event five years ago.
"I was sitting at home, bored, and I wanted to help. I wanted to get involved," Durbin said. "Love, Inc. is a great thing to be involved with."
Durbin joined the Tri-County Riders Sunday, riding with her boyfriend Ric Oberst, an American Legion Rider from Burlington.
Bikers could choose from eight different rides, with anywhere from 70 to 100 bikers each, but they all met at the same final destination, the Cotton Exchange in Waterford.
From there, the entire group rode back to the Chocolate Fest grounds for music and dinner, where more than 100 Love, Inc. volunteers helped serve the bikers, Schoessling said.
It's a lot of hungry bikers to feed, he said, but "it gets easier each year we do it."
Love, Inc. is a non-profit organization based in Burlington that offers a variety of programs for families in need.
In 2006, Love, Inc. provided more than $800,000 in goods and services to the community, and helped over 25,000 people. The scope of the services and programs provided at Love, Inc. is considerable.
For more information about the programs at Love, Inc. contact Dena Corey, programs director at 763-6226.