Celebrating 25 years, Helping the Children.

25 years ago, the Highway 41 Toy Convoy was born. Nobody thought it would last more than a year or two. What those people did was underestimate the power of the people who cared about the children.

When I first organized the convoy, in 1997, our goal was to raise toys and we did. At the collection site, I overheard someone say, "Is this all there is?" I knew we had to do something different the next year.

The second year, we had a band, door prizes, trophies, a car, motorcycle, jeep, truck, hot rod show, and we invite everything from motorcycles to big rigs. If you want to help a child have a brighter Christmas, then you are welcome. it doesn't matter what you ride or drive.

Three years ago the destination was changed from Tullahoma to Wartrace, TN, because of the new city administrator who did not want us in town. "Since Manchester PD and the Sheriff's Department are both located in Manchester, and they get 2/3 of the toys and we get only 1/3, why don't you just stay in Manchester and we will forfeit the toys for the Tullahoma kids?"

Tullahoma had received over $150,000 in toys over the years which helped thousands of children over the years.

The town of Wartrace and the Iron Horse welcomed us to their quaint little town. The convoy was embraced and we were welcomed and appreciated by the townspeople and the Wartrace Fire Department. We had more thank yous in two days than we ever had in the past 22 years.

Wartrace is affectionately called the Village that Saved the Toy Convoy. I wrote a little children's story called The Village that Saved the Toy Convoy so people would know the truth. A plaque from the town of Wartrace, thanking the convoy, stands next to the Christmas tree donated by the convoy.

Everyone who attends flies the American flag and brings at least 1-2 unwrapped new toys to help brighten Christmas for the children who can't help themselves. When you see hundreds of vehicles traveling together with a police escort, flying our flag, then you will see people pulling off the road, getting out of their car, and saluting as we pass by.

There are motorcycles, hot rods, trucks and jeeps, big horns, and little horns, and horns that go beep beep. The American flag blows in the breeze. The kids along the roadside wave them, to remind us we are free.

This year we celebrate 25 years. The convoy touches my heart like no other project I work on. I have watched people who don't have very much reach deep in their pockets to help the kids. One of them commented, "If it weren't for people like you, I never would have had a Christmas when I was a kid."

I've seen people who were loaded, look the other way and call us the "poor man's convoy." The oldest person to ever attend and win the Young at Heart Award was 96 years young. The youngest to attend was a baby who was 3 weeks old.

It touches my heart to see a child's face light up when you surprise him with something as simple as a coloring book and crayons. That tells me, he doesn't have much at home.

When a child receives a new bicycle, or clothes or games, the children and parents around here appreciate it. I want to thank all of you who come from miles around to help celebrate the longest-running event of its type in middle Tennessee that invites all vehicles. Our long distant participant drove 586 miles from Lake Erie, Ohio, in a 1929 Ford hot rod pickup.

Last year, thanks to our supporters, we raised over $25,000. in toys. I know that doesn't sound like much but for a small town that's a lot.

The toys are distributed thru Wartrace Fire Department, Manchester Police Department, and the Gene Taylor-Steve Graves Christmas Foundation.

We give away door prizes that are donated by area businesses. Trophies are given to the winners of the show and Santa visits with the children. We have a band that rocks the square throughout the afternoon.

We are proud to be known as "those kind of people." We have people from all walks of life. Veterans, lawyers, nurses, doctors, firemen, electricians, housewives and businessmen and everything in between come together for one reason. That's to help the children.

This year the convoy rolls Sunday, Nov. 7 at noon rain or shine. Lineup begins at Raiders Academy, 865 McMinnville Hwy, Exit 111 I 24, Manchester, Tn. at 10 am.

Come join us and help us celebrate 25 years of helping the children have a brighter Christmas!