Santa Claus came to town early this year.
The jolly old elf and his wife Mrs. Claus teamed up with the Bikers of Brooklyn motorcycle club for the 26th annual Toy Run on Nov. 22 in Canarsie. Santa swapped his sleigh for a motorcycle and followed to the club to the Flatlands Family Residence, where he and his helpers distributed presents to kids of all ages.
The toys and books for babies, kids, and teenagers were donated by local businesses and the members of the motorcycle club.
It was touching to see the kids play with their new gifts, said a longtime club member, who insisted that contrary to popular culture, bikers aren’t Grinches.
“All our guys reach in their pocket and bring a toy,” said Bobby Colon, who has been a member of the biker club for 26 years. “The bad guys are the one percent. They are Hells Angels and the Pagans and the guys depicted in the movies — and I’ll be honest with you, even those guys have big hearts.”
The club started their trip in Sheepshead Bay and the NYPD Highway Patrol escorted them as they cruised to the Flatlands Family Residence. Colon said the patrol blocked off the intersections for the bikers during their voyage to ensure their safety — a precaution he said the club appreciates.
“We’ve never had an accident — everybody arrives alive,” he said.
Colon said seeing the kids smile when they receive their gifts was the best present of all — and he said the crew is already collecting toys for Santa’s next Christmas delivery.
“It is rewarding. The old saying goes, ‘It is better to give than receive,’ ” he said. “We started collecting already for the next year.”
