For the last 32 years, the 3rd region for the American Bikers Aimed Towards Education of Ohio, or A.B.A.T.E., has put together a motorcycle run that helps out families in the area for Christmas. While it may feel like it's still a little early to be thinking about Christmas, A.B.A.T.E. is already on the game.
"Sometimes the parents just have enough money to pay bills and it's either bills or Christmas, so we kind of fill the gap, the Christmas crap, so they can go ahead and pay their bills and have a Christmas dinner," said Dana Frost, Director of A.B.A.T.E. Region 3.
The money raised at the toy run goes towards buying toys later in the year. Those toys, along with the ones collected at the toy run, will go towards children in Allen, Auglaize, Putnam, Mercer, Paulding, Van Wert, and Logan counties in December. Raising money and continuing their cause is something that the group continues to do every year because they say it's just the right thing to do.
"The way the world is going nowadays, more and more people are losing their jobs, small businesses are going out, that's pretty much why we do it - we've got the heart and we've got to help out," said Frost.
The riders participating in the run say it's not only fun to come back every year, but to know that they're helping out families in need.
"I've been coming on this run probably 25 years, my dad's been coming out here for about 30 years, we look forward to coming to it," said Merle Hentze. "It's one of the last rides of the year, so why not go out with a bang, it's a good cause and helps the kids out and they've been doing it a long time."
