Photos by Catherine Stachowiak
The town of Kernville held its traditional annual Hot Rod Parade and Toy Drive, Saturday November 30.
The Kernville Chamber of Commerce, which always organizes the event, was definitely up for the challenge, as was Santa when he brought smiles to the faces children making Santa wishes.
Board member for the chamber Jenny Hanley, organizer for the Toy Drive this year, said she has emptied the barrels filled with toys, a number of times this year, from the 11 barrels in Kernville, and 2 in Wofford Heights, placed at On Point Gym and the Dollar General. “There’s enough kids in the valley in need,” Hanley said, explaining that both Toys for Tots and the Kernville Chamber’s Toy Drive, which is a separate drive, are needed.
The chamber, held its annual Hot Rod Run, where cars met in the afternoon to parade around Circle Park, while collecting toys from locals, and then returned to Circle Park after the route. Santa rode on the parade float. He thereafter socialized with onlookers, while chamber volunteers unloaded the toys into a van, for delivery. Children happily gathered around Santa with smiles on their faces at the end of the route.
According to Hanley, Kernville Chamber of Commerce brings the toys collected, during the Hot Rod Run, and from the barrels at businesses, to the school children in need. The name of the program is “Santa’s Helper.” Parents who signed up can come and pick the toys up before Christmas at the chamber.
Office administrator for the chamber, Tara Overall said that the chamber took sign ups, from the community, for kids that needed toys. She said, “We want to serve as many kids as we possibly can at that Toy Drive.”
Overall said Kernville Elementary School’s Family Resource Center assists the chamber with information to provide toys for the children.
Most importantly the Toy Drive ends, and the toy barrels will be collected from the businesses, by December 16. Overall said that families who signed up for the program could pick up their gifts from December 19 to December 23.
