Iron Horse Christmas Celebration
Iron Horse Motorcycle Riders play Santa at The Gray House Sun. December 6th
(12/3/15; Springfield, MA)
The Iron Horse Motorcycle Riders are hosting their 12th annual Santa Visit at The Gray House this Sunday, December 6th. Presents will be given out to approximately 50 children and their siblings that participate at the Gray House Kids’ Club. 30 Iron Horse Motorcycle Riders will help distribute the presents.
The event starts at 10 a:m: with Santa arriving on a fire truck (weather permitting) a short time later. He will be followed by the Iron Horse Motorcycle Riders on their bikes. One of the bikers, Jeff Callahan, started “Santa’s Visit” because his own children had grown up and he missed the joy of seeing children open presents.
The bikers held a special benefit ride in the Spring to raise money for the presents. The bikers pick a day to go shopping together to buy and wrap all the presents.
The Gray House is a small neighborhood human service agency located at 22 Sheldon Street in the North End of Springfield. Their mission is to help their neighbors facing hardships to meet their immediate and transitional needs by providing food, clothing, and educational services in a safe, positive environment in the North End of Springfield.
The Kids’ Club is an after-school and summer program, serving children in grades 2-5. According to Dena Calvanese, Executive Director at The Gray House “the children live within a quarter mile radius of the Gray House and usually several members of a family attend. It is a safe, caring environment where they can be children and enjoy the activities of a childhood. They play games, do arts and crafts, receive homework help, read and journal, and take field trips to local and regional areas of interest.”