MOSLEYDS
Dec 5th, 2005, 10:17 am
It was a noisy 12-mile procession of black leather with a hint of red.The red amounted to fuzzy Santa hats atop the heads of men with faces hardened from years of riding motorcycles in all types of weather.
Despite a deep chill Sunday morning, the 20th Toy Run to Children's Hospital, sponsored by Rocky Mountain Harley-Davidson, was a heartwarming success.
Rider numbers may not have set a record, but it was impossible not to be moved by the thousands of well-shined bikes - many with stuffed animals attached - as they roared into the streets and parking lots surrounding the hospital.
Deanna Mooney, 18, of Cheyenne, was so excited by the activity that she had her chemotherapy treatment outside, drip bags of drugs hanging from the same wheelchair apparatus that now featured a white Christmas monkey - thanks to the bikers in black.
Mooney, who has bone cancer, watched the bikers arrive from the hospital's fifth floor before going downstairs to mingle. Someone gave her a well-worn black cap from the annual Harley festival in Sturgis, S.D., which she put on over her own soft blue cap.
"It's amazing," she said. "It's beautiful."
At the lead of the pack was a very authentic-looking Santa Claus. The noisy throng of black and chrome Harleys and non-Harleys alike convened in Littleton for the ride to the hospital.
The gifts collected are given to children at the hospital throughout the year, hospital spokeswoman Natalie Goldstein said.
"Merry Christmas to you," the rider dressed as Santa said to Vaiya Brown, 11, of Boulder, who had been hospitalized for four days with an unknown gastrointestinal condition and checked out the scene from a wheelchair.
"They just kept coming," Vaiya said. "All I could see were the lights."
"If she was going to pick a weekend to be here, this was a good one," said her mother, Tara King. "It's hard any time to have a sick child, but I'm really touched by all the people coming out (for) the children."
Mark Stefanowski, 36, a salesman from Boulder, rode in a sleeveless fleece vest, black chaps over jeans and Santa hat. Needless to say, the goose bumps on his hefty arms lasted long after he went inside.
"It's the shortest, best ride in town," said Stefanowski, who awoke at 5 a.m. for the event.
Charlie Thomas, 9, of Spearfish, S.D., picked up a new set of G.I. Joe action figures and a stuffed animal.
Charlie has kidney failure and is staying in the Ronald McDonald House while he undergoes dialysis, said his mother, Shirleen, 43. She said she has seen the bikers at Sturgis many times, but this experience was quite different.
"These people here are a lot nicer," she said. "These people are on a mission to do something good for kids."
"I was bawlin' when they were first coming in and bawlin' when (a rider) gave her the lei," said A'Londa Horton, 34, of Denver, whose 14-year-old daughter Tiffini is in the hospital after suffering from a migraine headache for the past month.
After the girl received a red flower necklace, a black leather-clad group from the Rocky Mountain Christian Riders approached.
"If you like, we can pray for you," said rider Tom Armitage, 36. "Maybe God can help out, too."
Horton happily accepted a spontaneous prayer circle around her daughter.
Despite a deep chill Sunday morning, the 20th Toy Run to Children's Hospital, sponsored by Rocky Mountain Harley-Davidson, was a heartwarming success.
Rider numbers may not have set a record, but it was impossible not to be moved by the thousands of well-shined bikes - many with stuffed animals attached - as they roared into the streets and parking lots surrounding the hospital.
Deanna Mooney, 18, of Cheyenne, was so excited by the activity that she had her chemotherapy treatment outside, drip bags of drugs hanging from the same wheelchair apparatus that now featured a white Christmas monkey - thanks to the bikers in black.
Mooney, who has bone cancer, watched the bikers arrive from the hospital's fifth floor before going downstairs to mingle. Someone gave her a well-worn black cap from the annual Harley festival in Sturgis, S.D., which she put on over her own soft blue cap.
"It's amazing," she said. "It's beautiful."
At the lead of the pack was a very authentic-looking Santa Claus. The noisy throng of black and chrome Harleys and non-Harleys alike convened in Littleton for the ride to the hospital.
The gifts collected are given to children at the hospital throughout the year, hospital spokeswoman Natalie Goldstein said.
"Merry Christmas to you," the rider dressed as Santa said to Vaiya Brown, 11, of Boulder, who had been hospitalized for four days with an unknown gastrointestinal condition and checked out the scene from a wheelchair.
"They just kept coming," Vaiya said. "All I could see were the lights."
"If she was going to pick a weekend to be here, this was a good one," said her mother, Tara King. "It's hard any time to have a sick child, but I'm really touched by all the people coming out (for) the children."
Mark Stefanowski, 36, a salesman from Boulder, rode in a sleeveless fleece vest, black chaps over jeans and Santa hat. Needless to say, the goose bumps on his hefty arms lasted long after he went inside.
"It's the shortest, best ride in town," said Stefanowski, who awoke at 5 a.m. for the event.
Charlie Thomas, 9, of Spearfish, S.D., picked up a new set of G.I. Joe action figures and a stuffed animal.
Charlie has kidney failure and is staying in the Ronald McDonald House while he undergoes dialysis, said his mother, Shirleen, 43. She said she has seen the bikers at Sturgis many times, but this experience was quite different.
"These people here are a lot nicer," she said. "These people are on a mission to do something good for kids."
"I was bawlin' when they were first coming in and bawlin' when (a rider) gave her the lei," said A'Londa Horton, 34, of Denver, whose 14-year-old daughter Tiffini is in the hospital after suffering from a migraine headache for the past month.
After the girl received a red flower necklace, a black leather-clad group from the Rocky Mountain Christian Riders approached.
"If you like, we can pray for you," said rider Tom Armitage, 36. "Maybe God can help out, too."
Horton happily accepted a spontaneous prayer circle around her daughter.