190th Rd. opened temporarily for Toy Run
Even raises “more money than last year” officials say
Staff writer
County officials temporally lifted a road detour for Santa and his band of benevolent bikers to transport toys for underprivileged children from Marion to Hillsboro Saturday on 190th Rd. during the 23rd annual Toy Run.
“They opened it just for us,” one event organizer Tom Koslowsky said. “We really appreciated it. It sure helped.”
The Toy Run would have passed onto portions of US-56 if the detour had not been lifted, he said.
However, with 160 motorcycles and 25 classic cars in the toy run, Koslowsky said the procession might have potentially created traffic problems if the detour had not been lifted.
“We were about two miles long,” Koslowsky said. “[Officials] closed off the road right after we went through.”
Traveling in the westbound lane, participants were not on the side of the road that is caving in.
With all participants making it to Hillsboro, a pile of toys soon mounted at Hillsboro State Bank.
“Each person needed to bring one toy for entry but most people brought more than one,” Koslowsky said. “We were full to capacity at the chili feed, too.
He said there was too many donations still rolling in from the event to give an accurate estimation of funds raised. However, he indicated that bigger checks than last year would be distributed to needy children and families within the county.
An estimated $13,000 was distributed last year.
“Last year, in our 22nd year, we had given out more than $175,000 that all stayed in the county,” Koslowsky said.