Toys For Tots Chicago

[Jakeman17]

I got this off another site thought i would post

 

Great Lakes JeepThing’s 11th annual Toys for Tots

November 29th 2009

Line up begins at 8:00am

Start time 10:00am (be there early!)

Downtown Chicago

Start point McCormick Place parking lot “B’. Located off the 31st street exit

Contact Kevin Gray

E-mail x-zr2@hotmail.com

Web site http://www.gljt.org

IMPORTANT: Entry fee is at least one BRAND NEW toy still in the original packaging! Please do not ask to participate if you are empty handed.

It’s that time of year again in the Chicago area. Time to start the buzz of one of the biggest and most important 4×4 events of the year. GLJT’s Toys for Tots parade. 6 years ago in 2003 our little event officially exploded into something much bigger than just us. Now, this event has grown into something that belongs to the 4×4 community as a whole. With 250 vehicles, over 500 people, and 20 different clubs represented. Funny to think that just 11 years ago the first parade included nothing but GLJT members, and totaled to about 15 jeeps. Now this event has multiplied several times over in attendance, has been covered on local TV networks, newspapers, and escorted by Chicago police.

This year we will be starting in McCormick Place parking lot “B’. Located off the 31st street exit from Lake Shore Drive. The parade will leave at 10:00am SHARP! So please get there early enough to have time to get those Christmas decorations on your vehicle. Did I forget to mention decorations? The parade is never complete without them. Some participants have really gone all out for this event. Decorating their jeeps like Santa’s sleigh, or leaving no piece of sheet metal on the Durango untouched.

That leads up to the other thing that participants are highly encouraged to do. While the entry fee is at least one toy, please try to bring more than just one. Participants always come with vehicles full to the top with donations from friends, family, and coworkers. Posters are available at GLJT meetings for making your own ‘drop box’.

Once attendees get there and are ready to leave at 10 we head north on Lake Shore Drive to Foster Ave. Exit on Foster, and take Foster west to the US Marine headquarters for toy drop off. Be sure to have your CB radio on during the drive. We’ll be on channel 4. If you’ve never seen 300 decorated 4×4’s being escorted down LSD by Chicago police … you just have to be there. It’s a breathtaking site, especially when one considers the cause that this is for.

If for some reason anyone is unfamiliar … the Toys for Tots foundation is run by the US Marine corps. It was put into place to help raise toys as Christmas presents for needy children. I think there are a lot of people here that have it better than most, it’s important to remember that, and not take it for granted. Every child deserves at least one new present for Christmas. With your help we can make that happen. If you come out and ride with us, you will make a difference. And you might get your mug on the nightly news!

Line up at 8:00!!

There will be a short but sweet driver meeting at 9:45 before the parade leaves. I’ll be in the middle of the parade with a bullhorn to announce final details before we leave.

on you tube people put videos of the TFTs

http://www.myxj.net/videos/Toy…..2005_1.mpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…..l5ZBBmLtDQ

[whowey]

Woo-hoo......The annual drag race down Lake Shore Drive...

 

Not a place for you if your 4x4 is not able to do 65-70mph...

[Jakeman17]

Anyone going besides me?