HOGS AND TOWS

December 13, 1978, the start of a Legend, a Tradition and a Motto:
“Every child deserves a toy at Christmas“. The brain child of Edward P. (Aminal) Wisniewski - the 1st annual Chicagoland Toys For Tots Motorcycle Parade.

A Chicago winter day, to cold, to windy; plus two hours past parade start time, with van packed about one-third full with toys and 6 people involved in the first run: Aminal, Puppy, Mark-Off, Princess, Namu, and Thor, were off to The Glenview, IL Naval Air Station.

Then a breakdown.

So in order to complete the event, as a motorcycle run, Aminal was towed by Puppy arm-in-arm from the van for the last 3 miles.

Whew! They made it and year after year the parade grew.

In ‘04, 45,500 riders participated and delivered 70,000 toys to the Chicago Marine Corps Reserve Center. Bikers as far away as Alaska and Hawaii did past runs.

Over the years, gift rules were revised to NOT INCLUDE toy guns, knives, whips, brass knuckles, handcuffs, food or pets.

Bikers never argue that its better to give than receive, and many agree that their 2nd best perk is riding in the parade just so that they can go through 20 miles of Chicago without stopping for red lights, and revving their engines with loud pipes.
Recently tow truck drivers took on the cause. Forming what seemed to be an endless convoy down Interstate 55, highway drivers witnessing the site, honked and cheered; but the most touching scene was a uniformed soldier saluting each tow truck driver who drove by.

Way to go, Chicago!