Tauranga gears up for 13th Toy Run

Amber Ellis, Abby Ellis and Jill de Buisson are getting ready for the annual Tauranga toy run next month. Photo/ George Novak

Jill de Buisson has watched the Tauranga Toy Run more than double in size since the first group of hot rods congregated 13 years ago.

About 100 cars cruised through Tauranga in 2004 and de Buisson, one of the event organisers, said she was expecting more than 225 this year.

The annual charity run collects new toys for the Child Cancer Foundation and money donations for Waipuna Hospice.

This year's event will be held on Friday and de Buisson said all hot rods, classics, street machines and muscle cars were welcome to join in.

The convoy will make its way from Baypark through to Papamoa, then down Beach Rd, over to Mount Maunganui and down Fraser St to finish up at Fraser Cove.

The cars are expected to park up at Fraser Cove from 7.15pm and will be on display to the public.

"We always get a great amount of support from spectators," de Buisson said.

At the end last year's event, the green vintage Ford '55 truck that collects the donations was "laden" with piles of toys.

"The Child Cancer Foundation are always very happy to receive them," she said.

De Buisson said everyone involved in the Tauranga Toy Run had their own personal reason for supporting the event.

"Cancer touches nearly every household these days."

John Ellis, another original organiser of the event, is getting his classic car ready for the run and welcomed the community to come down on Friday.

His daughter, Amber Ellis, had been involved in the charity gathering since she was 3 and dressed festively each year.

"We're hoping to have approximately 300 cars... we'd like to see as many people come along with classic cars, hot rods and street machines head over."

How to get involved
-Join in the charity drive by bringing your classic car to Baypark at 6pm on Friday.
-Bring along a new toy for the Child Cancer Foundation or a donation for Waipuna Hospice
or
-Come down to Fraser Cove from 7.15pm to view all the cars and donate to Waipuna Hospice