Toy Run organiser Jill de Buisson and participant Craig Jefferson. Photo / Mead Norton
Toy Run organiser Jill de Buisson and participant Craig Jefferson. Photo / Mead Norton
Hundreds of people in hot rods, street machines, muscle and classic cars will participate in the 20th Tauranga Toy Run Christmas fundraiser on Friday night to support kids with cancer and fundraise for Waipuna Hospice.
Jill de Buisson, one of the event organisers, said she, her husband Steve and good friends John and Sarah Ellis founded the event. de Buisson said the fundraiser was expected to attract more than 200 cars and donations of new toys only, and cash would be passed on to the Child Cancer Foundation and the hospice.
“Rather than soft cuddly toys, which many young cancer patients probably have lots of already, we’re asking people to donate puzzles, books and activity games to help distract these sick children who often spend a lot in time hospital and doctors’ waiting rooms.”
She said the Toy Run convoy leaves Sulphur Point Marina at 6pm, and participants will make their way to Fraser Cove shopping centre car park. From 7.15pm, they will show off the vehicles and volunteers will shake buckets for more donations.
Hot rods in Craig Jefferson's garage. Photo / Mead Norton
The donated toys would be distributed to cancer patients at their Christmas parties and birthdays throughout the year, de Buisson said.
“It’s quite an emotional event, as the majority of people who join the Toy Run have lost family or other loved ones to cancer, or they know of someone who is currently battling cancer. Cancer touches many people in our community, including lots of young children.
“I personally think cancer is more of a pandemic than Covid is.”
de Buisson said she lost her parents, both aged 70, to cancer - her father in 1999, and her mother a year later. Waipuna Hospice helped to care for her dying father.
Since the last Toy Run in 2020 - it didn’t run last year because of Covid-19 - her second-eldest brother Wayne (Furlong), 65, also lost his battle with cancer, she said.
“Wayne was a very passionate supporter of the Toy Run, and he was so passionate about these causes, he even attended in his wheelchair.
de Buisson said the Tauranga hot-rodding community were incredibly generous people who would “really dig deep” to donate to these two worthy causes.
“Cancer puts a lot of burdens on families, and a lot of people are cared for by Waipuna Hospice in their final days, so every dollar raised and every donated toy will hopefully ease that burden a little bit.”
Tauranga Toy Run founder and organiser Jill de Buisson. Photo / Supplied
“We are a hot-rodding family, so the Toy Run is the perfect chance to use our passion to help raise much-needed dollars for these two worthy charities. It gives you a real buzz knowing you’re doing a little bit to help people who need extra support.”
She said the Toy Run was also a memorial event for lots of local families, including her own.
de Buisson also said she wanted to acknowledge the sponsors of the event, including World’s End Bar & Restaurant, who came on board 20 years ago.
“Without our fantastic sponsors and [our] crew of awesome volunteers, this event would not be possible,” she said.
Toy Run participant Craig Jefferson, from Ohauiti, is also a long-time supporter of the fundraiser.
“These are such worthy causes. I have lost good mates to cancer and have close friends battling cancer. I absolutely agree with Jill that cancer is like a pandemic, as more and more we hear stories about how much cancer touches hundreds of families in our community.
“The Toy Run is also a great social event and an ideal chance to catch up with close friends I haven’t seen for a while.”
de Buisson said local businesses sponsoring this year’s Tauranga Toy Run and fundraiser include Fraser Cove, World’s End Bar & Restaurant, The Lakes Automotive, Global Candy, Linkup Paints Bay of Plenty, and the Tauranga Sport Fishing Club.
Toy Run participants can either go straight to the Fraser Cove shopping centre car park or drive over the Harbour Bridge, cruise around Mount Maunganui, turn down Ocean Beach Rd, up Golf Rd, into Hewletts Rd and make their way to Fraser Cove from there.
Anyone who wishes to make a donation of toys or cash can drop them off at World’s End, de Buisson said.
