Motorcyclists and classic-car enthusiasts will try to come up with $6,000 so they can continue the annual kickoff events for the Toys for Tots campaign. $6,000 sought to hold
Toys for Tots kickoff
By Leila Fujimori
lfujimori@starbulletin.com"It's not like we have the money now, but we're willing to raise the money somehow," said E. Roy Gomez, state director of Street Bikers United, a motorcyclists lobbying group. "One of us might have to hock our motorcycles, but canceling was never an option."
The 40-minute classic car caravan, in which participants hold a Christmas toy and food drive from Magic Island to the Waikiki Shell, is scheduled for Nov. 24. And Street Bikers United's toy drive, to be held the following Sunday, Dec. 1, at the Hawai'i Convention Center, is followed by a parade along Kalakaua Avenue.
In past years the city has waived permit fees for each of the parades, which cost an estimated $3,000 for traffic control, coning, barricades and signage, said city spokeswoman Carol Costa.
But with City Council cuts to the budget, the city can no longer afford to waive the fees, she said. The city, however, will provide street cleanup and possibly monitoring the parade, Costa said.
"We don't want to leave people high and dry, especially during the holiday season," Costa said.
She said the city managing director and others are going to assist groups in finding private sponsorship.
Neither group has talked about canceling the events, both of which have been held for more than 20 years.
The caravan, with about 300 participants, collected about 1,500 toys last year. The bikers' drive, with between 3,000 and 5,000 riders, collected about 6,000 toys last year.
"If we can get a sponsor, great; if we can't, we'll do something else," said Jeff Cadavona, organizer of the car caravan, which includes 10 to 12 car clubs.
Gomez said a parade would be held whether the city waives the permit fees or not.
Toys for Tots coordinator Marine Staff Sgt. Ruben Villarreal said he is talking to many potential sponsors. He said they hope to collect an estimated 60,000 toys needed.
Toys for Tots collected 65,000 toys last year for 33,000 children in Hawaii, he said.
Herman Silva, one of the original organizers for the classic-car caravan, said that even if his group finds a sponsor for the $3,000 permit fee, if it were up to him, "I'd rather give it to the kids."
Cadavona said many car club members feel similarly, saying, "Why should we spend time raising $3,000 just to get cones put on the road, when the $3,000 could go to the kids?"
