Inaugural motorcycle toy run to brighten the holidays for children and teens

Bikers and the greater Montrose community are asked to join with volunteers of the Tri-State Montrose Employees Club for the first-ever holiday motorcycle toy run for Haven House families, who are transitioning out of homelessness, on Saturday, Dec. 3.

The Montrose Motorcycle Holiday Toy Run will deliver donated gifts to Haven House in Olathe. Riders are invited to join the staff and resident families for coffee and hot chocolate before returning to Montrose.

“Half of our kids are from domestic violence shelters and are not used to having anything on Christmas, it’s survival for them,” said Rose Verheul, Director of Operations and Youth Director at Haven House. “They are so excited to host a party for the bikers. They have been making ornaments to give to the bikers when they arrive that day.”

The community is encouraged to participate in the ride by bringing new, unwrapped gifts and meeting Saturday, Dec. 3, at 9:30 a.m. in Tri-State’s south parking lot. Kickstands go up by 10 a.m. The toy run will ride 10 miles north on U.S. Highway 50 to Olathe to deliver toys.

Non-riders may drop off new, unwrapped gifts by Thursday, Dec. 1 at Tri-State’s Montrose Maintenance Center, 2200 S. Rio Grande Ave.

“Rain or shine, we are going to go and anyone is welcome to join us to deliver the gifts,” said Mike Bahr, volunteer toy run organizer. “The only obstacle that will stop us is snow on the road. If there is snow, we will use cars. We can’t let down these kids.”

“Working for an electric cooperative, one of our cooperative principles is concern for community. We work and live by our principles,” Bahr said. “I am thankful our staff has the heart to volunteer so those 26 kids have a happy Christmas this year. I hope the community joins us.”

Bahr and his coworkers hope to collect enough gifts for the 26 children served by Haven House. The children range in age from 3-month-old twins to a 15-year-old girl. Any extra gifts will be distributed in the Montrose greater community to children in need.

Long-time riders and Denver holiday toy run supporters, Bahr and his wife Sandy started talking about a local toy run after he accepted the job of Tri-State safety coordinator and they moved to Montrose four years ago. They discovered a compelling beneficiary for a toy run in Haven House.

“We learned how many Haven House kids and their families are trying to transition out of homelessness and we felt strongly we have to do this so those kids can have a good Christmas,” Bahr said.

With an offer of help from Robert and Heather McCarty of McCycles, Bahr took the toy run idea to the office. It was received with enthusiasm by the Montrose Employees Club, a voluntary giving program started more than 30 years ago by Tri-State employees pooling their own money and time to support local needs, said Mac Fellin, Tri-State Transmission Maintenance Manager West. 

A motorcycle holiday toy run was a natural expansion of the staff’s volunteer efforts. “It’s a way for us to give back to the community we live and work in,” said Fellin.

Haven House was formed in August 2010 to develop a transitional/transformational living program for the homeless in the Tri-County area of Montrose, Ouray and Delta. Haven House provides shelter, the necessary support services and enrichment programs to help families evolve from an unstable living environment to healthy self-sustaining lifestyles.

Learn more about the Montrose Motorcycle Holiday Toy Run, including a list (age and gender) of the Haven House children who will receive gifts.

Questions about donating or riding?

Contact toy run coordinator Mike Bahr at 970-216-1822 or mbahr@tristategt.org.