The Sleigh Riders Motorcycle Toy Run Charity Just Had It’s Biggest Day Everrrrrr

I don't have any money. None. Literally. I live paycheck to paycheck just like many of you so in 2006 I decided to do the first Sleigh Riders event as my way of using a microphone to get a lot of people together to help my community since my checkbook wasn't going to do it. On Tuesday, December 18th, 5 individuals came together who have done well over the year and decided to pay it forward.

It was late afternoon Tuesday when I was alerted that someone in the lobby had a donation for the Sleigh Riders Motorcycle Toy Run. He handed me the envelop in the studios and I proceeded out to the lobby to thank the person. As I walked out I said, "Is it a million dollars?" The reply was, "No, but there is $3000 in there."

I was speechless. True to her word, there was a check for $3000. The check was from Karen and Rodney Steely of Colorado Crude Carries based in Greeley CO. To tell her "thank you" seemed so meaningless but it's all I had. Karen left and I later looked at the check and realized it was written out to Santa Cops. I emailed her to let her know that if their intention was to donate to the Sleigh Riders we would not be able to take the check but I would be more than happy to present the check to Mark Forque and Santa Cops at the toy run on Sunday. I assured her the money all went to help the same kids so it didn't matter to the Sleigh Riders but wanted to make sure she knew.

Her response to me was, "Please present the check you have to Santa Cops on Sunday and we have written another check for $3000 to the Sleigh Riders. I will drop it off in Windsor tomorrow."

How do you thank someone like that? Colorado Crude Carries in one fell swoop just donated $6000 to benefit Santa Cops.

Then I got home and checked the mail. Last week my insurance guy of 10 years, Scott Bicknell, informed me that he would be donating $250 this year and then $500 every year from here on out. Over the weekend he called and apologized for donating such a low amount (he apologized which teared me up a bit) and told me that two buddies of his in the insurance business also wanted to donate $250. Scott then told me that between the 3 agencies, they were committing a $1000 every single year but could only come up with $750 this year. He apologized again and just like now, I couldn't stop the tears in my eyes.

How do you thank people like this?

So between Karen and Rodney Steely of Colorado Crude Carriers, Scott Bicknell - Affordable American Insurance, Brody Leinweber - Leinweber Insurance Agency, Rick Cline - Rick P. Cline Agency we collected almost $7000 to help the kids this and every Christmas.

If you too would like to donate a few bucks you can use the secure PayPal link located at the bottom of this story. The Sleigh Riders Motorcycle Toy Run is a 501c3.