Several local nonprofits are offering jolly events that celebrate the season while bringing comfort and joy to children in foster care and kids who have experienced domestic violence and other traumatic situations.
Festivities begin with the Kruzin’ for Kidz 2018 Holiday Parade. Registration is from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at Hi Corbett Field at Reid Park, 700 S. Randolph Way; the parade procession of 100-plus motorcycles begins at noon and ends at The Hideout Saloon, 1100 S. Sherwood Village Drive, where an after-party is open to the public.
“There is something about this toy run: We are police-escorted and all ride together, which I really enjoy, and the after party is lots of fun with great raffle items and you get to mingle with other riders. But I think that knowing where the toys are going makes it extra special,” said Susie Martinez-Nagele, coordinator of the event for Aviva Children’s Services, which provides services for children in foster and kinship care.
Martinez-Nagele is also a member of Guardians of the Children, a nonprofit organization comprised of motorcycle enthusiasts dedicated to assisting abused and neglected children, educating the public about child abuse, and serving as advocates for families and children in crisis.
The local chapter, which also provides assistance and support for children during court proceedings, has partnered with Aviva for the last two years to help stage Kruzin’ for Kids, which is sponsored by Tucson Electric Power.
The entry fee is $20 per rider plus $5 per passenger and a new, unwrapped toy; organizers hope to collect enough toys to serve the 2,500 children who receive Aviva services.
“I have seen the process. Aviva sets up all the gifts in a banquet hall and caseworkers have their list of kids and know what the kids want and they are able to go pick out what is needed so these kids can have a decent Christmas, which they really need after being in such horrible situations. ... Some of these kids may have not really had any holiday gifts and some may have just been taken from their families, so it is very important to try to make things somewhat normal,” said Martinez-Nagele, 36, a former parent aide at Aviva who has volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate and has been a foster parent.
Stuffed animal donations
Those who can’t attend the motorcycle parade might want to consider the Tucson Roadrunners Hockey Teddy Bear Toss at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Tucson Convention Center.
For the third consecutive year, stuffed animals will be tossed by fans on the ice after the first Roadrunners’ goal during the game. Last year, more than 3,000 stuffed animals were collected for Aviva Children’s Services, said Monica Durand, development and community relations manager. “It is a super fun event and the popularity just keeps growing,” said Durand.
Toys, online donations
If your weekend is all booked up but you want to support the cause, Aviva and similar nonprofits are making it convenient to gift new, unwrapped toys or gift cards — or to make online donations.
Aviva will accept donations through Friday at 153 S. Plumer Ave; you can push that deadline to Monday if you drop the items at Tucson Woman’s Club, 6245 E. Bellevue St.
Volunteer Brenda Craft highly recommends that you make the effort.
Craft, 72, is a member of the Aviva Divas, who sew items such as cloth duffel bags to enable children in foster care to transport their clothing in something other than a garbage bag.
They also make quilts, blankets, make-up bags, doll clothes and other items for the children and sell handmade quilts, table runners, placemats and gift items at events and craft fairs year-round to raise money for the Aviva Holiday Program.
If you need more time to purchase a gift, Casa de los Niños can accommodate you.
New, unwrapped holiday gifts for teens and young children can be dropped through Friday, Dec. 21, at the Pack the Covered Wagon at Trail Dust Town at 6541 E. Tanque Verde Road. Donations are also accepted from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday at Casa de los Niños, 1120 N. Fifth Ave.
Lisa Webster, director of development and community relations at Casa de los Niños, said that both in-kind donations and financial contributions are vital to the nonprofit that has been on a mission to promote child well-being and family stability for more than 40 years. Last year the organization served more than 6,000 children and 5,000 families through seven different programs.
