Mineral County children wait for their chance to talk to Santa Claus in front of the CAHS building in Hawthorne. St. Nick helped the Iron Nation bring in toys for its annual toy run. (C.W. Wilkinson photo)
On Dec. 14 on 5th Street in Hawthorne outside the Consolidated Agency for Human Services office, a handful of motorcycles were lined up along the curb.
On the sidewalk, sprawled out on blue tarps and under a pop up were hundreds of unwrapped toys.
About 10 men and women in black leather vests emblazoned with the iron cross and the words “Iron Nation MC” milled about, chatting with CAHS employees along with a fat man dressed in red with a long white beard.
In boxes on either side of the visiting Santa Claus were huge boxes overflowing with toys.
It was the culmination of the Iron Nation Motorcycle Club’s 5th annual Toy Run.
“We try to gather up as much as we can for the not-so-wealthy kids around town that could use some toys,” said Mike Imlay, who organized the event. “It just makes us feel so, so good to be able to hand out these toys to all these kids.”
Imlay said most of the runs the club makes are rides for one charity or another, but because of the cold weather the club only collects toys in December.
“We get a lot of donations from around, even Fallon this year,” he said. “We got a lot of money donations this year from the locals, and then we just go and buy a bunch of toys for [the kids].”
Imlay said this year’s donations total more than $1,000, and said several times the club holds the drive every year because of the great feeling the members get.
“It’s just something we’re going to keep doing forever, for as long as we’re around,” Imlay said. “[…] What would Christmas be without toys for a kid?”
