Car Guys Care about Toys for Tots; new location for classic car show; opportunities

The fourth annual Car Guys Care Toys for Tots Classic Car Show & Shine will take place at Ricardo's Restaurant, St. George, Utah, circa, 2014 | Photo courtesy of Shane Dastrup, for St. George News

ST. GEORGE — The fourth annual Car Guys Care Toys for Tots Classic Car Show & Shine will take place in the parking lot of Ricardo’s Restaurant, 1110 S Bluff St in St George, Saturday from 2-4 p.m.

This year’s car show is presented by Southern Utah Mustang Owners Association & Classic Ford Club,  Rods & Rebels Hot Rod Club, Color Country Corvettes, Southern Utah All-Gens Camaro Club, Dixie 4 Wheel Drive, and MSG Productions.

The fourth annual Car Guys Care Toys for Tots Classic Car Show & Shine will take place at Ricardo's Restaurant, St. George, Utah, circa, 2014 | Photo courtesy of Shane Dastrup, for St. George News
The fourth annual Car Guys Care Toys for Tots Classic Car Show & Shine will take place at Ricardo’s Restaurant, St. George, Utah, circa, 2014 | Photo courtesy of Shane Dastrup, for St. George News

For the past three years, the event has been held at the Iceberg Drive Inn, 222 E St George Blvd in St. George, but the parking lot of Ricardo’s Restaurant will provide more room for all the cars, said Shane Dastrup, president of the Southern Utah Mustang Owners Association & Classic Ford Club. In past years, some cars have had to be turned away because of minimal room in the Iceberg Inn parking lot.

Everyone with a car, truck or motorcycle is invited and encouraged to bring monetary donations, unwrapped toys, enjoy looking at cars and spend some time with Santa Claus. Please do not wrap your toy donations. All toys collected at the car show will go to families in the community.

A live band performance by The House of Flying Monkeys, and a live remote broadcast from Cherry Creek Radio’s John and Dave Hiatt, as well as food are all part of the event’s offerings.

“This event is open to any guy or girl,” John Heinz, member of Southern Utah Mustang Owners Association, said. “Bring a car, bring a toy and come and hang out.”

Prior to the first year of the car show, the car clubs had been collecting toys but wanted to find a way to distribute them, Dastrup said. The clubs then worked together to start Car Guys Care and create a car show to support the Toys for Tots Foundation.

“It’s just a way for us guys to give back to the community,” Dastrup said. “Last year, our group collected $1,154 in cash plus we collected about 600 toys.”

In 2010, Dastrup and Heinz helped the U.S. Marine Corps distribute the toys and described the opportunity of taking toys to needy children eye-opening.

Santa Claus will be attending the fourth annual Car Guys Care Toys for Tots Classic Car Show & Shine will take place at Ricardo's Restaurant, St. George, Utah, circa, 2014 | Photo courtesy of Shane Dastrup, for St. George News
Santa Claus will be attending the fourth annual Car Guys Care Toys for Tots Classic Car Show & Shine will take place at Ricardo’s Restaurant, St. George, Utah, circa, 2014 | Photo courtesy of Shane Dastrup, for St. George News

Giving monetary donations is important, Dastrup said, because those donations are used to buy toys for children who are older than infants and toddlers.

“Toys for Tots is for the younger kids, but everyone forgets there are older children for those families,” he said. “ The monetary donations provide the ability to get those toys.”

Toys for Tots coordinators are given a list from each family to find out how many children are in each family as well as what each child’s wish list is, Dastrup said. He said the list enables Car Guys Care to get toys for the older kids. Last year, a member from one of the clubs brought three bicycles and spent between $3,000 and $4,000 on toys.

“He asked to borrow my truck to haul all the stuff,” Dastrup said. “I said, ‘Why are you doing so much this year?’ he said, ‘I don’t have any kids and this is my way of taking care of the kids.’”

Toys for Tots

Toys for Tots is the Marine Corps’ nationwide organization that started in 1927. It did not have a chapter in Southern Utah until retired Marine Gy. Sgt. Rick Massey, who had been on recruit duty in Washington County during his service, was appointed to coordinate the program in Washington County. Before Massey became the Toys for Tots foundation coordinator in Southern Utah, all donations collected in the area were sent to northern Utah. The number of toys collected grew from hundreds to thousands after Massey began coordinating the effort.

Event flyer  - click on image to enlarge
Event flyer – click on image to enlarge

About 110 businesses throughout the community regularly support the Toys for Tots program by putting a box out at their businesses to collect toys, Massey said. People are encouraged to go the stores, buy toys and fill those boxes.  Or, people can make monetary donations on the Toys for Tots website.

Toys for Tots drops and incentives

  • Stephen Wade Toyota | Bring in a toy, get a 5 quart oil change if more oil is needed the customer pays the difference
  • Jones Paint & Glass | Bring a $20 cash or check donation, or an unwrapped toy with a receipt showing it is of $20 value and receive a free windshield rock chip repair
  • IFA Country Store | Bring in a toy and each toy provided will earn you an entry into a prize drawing, which includes $50 gift certificates and various merchandise in the store
  • Kenworth Sales St. George| Bring in a toy and get 10 percent off a purchase of $100 or more

Toys for Tots events

Saturday, Dec. 6

  • What: Toys for Tots Classic Car Show & Shine
  • When: Saturday, Dec. 6, from 2-4 p.m.
  • Where: Ricardo’s Restaurant, 1110 S Bluff St in St George
  • Contact: John Heinz – 435-862-9334
  • What: Red Rock Running Club Toys for Tots Fundraiser. A 1-mile, 5K and 10K race will take place in support of Southern Utah Toys for Tots.
  • When: Saturday, Dec. 6, from 8-11 a.m.
  • Where: Ivins City Park, Main Street and 100 North, Ivins
  • What: Bloomington and Washington City Wal-Mart Toys for Tots Drive, where the Marine Corps will sponsor a toy drive
  • When: Saturday, Dec. 6, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • Where: Washington City Wal-Mart, 625 W Telegraph St, St. George, Utah and Bloomington Wal-Mart, 2610 Pioneer Rd, St. George
  • What: Toys for Tots RC Race, by Champs RC Raceway,
  • When:  Saturday, Dec. 6, 10 a.m.
  • Where: Champs RC Raceway, 59 N Old Highway 91 #5, Hurricane

Dec. 13

Dec. 16

  • What: Association of Retarded Citizens Dinner. The Elks Lodge will be sponsoring a dinner for ARC. The Marine Corps will assist other volunteers and local law enforcement agencies to help with the dinner. Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus will be present to hand out gifts to ARC.
  • When: 5:30 to 9 p.m.
  • Where:  Elks Lodge, 630 W 1250 N, St George

Dec. 17

  • What: Coins for Kids Shopping Spree. The Marine Corps will join forces with KONY Coins for Kids and the community to support the shopping endeavor. Bring your best walking shoes and smiles to enjoy an evening of shopping and fun.
  • When: 5 to 9 p.m.
  • Where: Bloomington Wal-Mart, 2610 Pioneer Rd, St. George

Dec. 18

  • What: Coins for Kids Gift Wrapping. The Marine Corps will join KONY Coins for Kids in gift wrapping
  • When: 8 a.m.
  • Where: Dixie Center, 1835 S Convention Center Dr, St. George

Dec. 19

  • What: Coins for Kids Present Deliveries. Anyone can help make deliveries to the kids.
  • When: 3-8 p.m.
  • Where: Dixie Center, 1835 S Convention Center Dr, St. George

Dec. 20

  • What: Toys for Tots Deliveries. Anyone can help make deliveries to the kids.
  • When: 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
  • Where: 450 North 3050 East, St. George

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3 Comments

  • LilMama December 4, 2014 at 2:04 am

    Where can we find a full list of places with drop boxes if we want to donate?

    • Rick December 7, 2014 at 7:51 am

      Go to http://www.toysfortots.org, click on toy drop locations, Utah, Washington County, then click on the icon for toy drop locations, local events, family toy request forms, etc.

  • Think December 7, 2014 at 9:21 am

    Never mind. I’d be asking the impossible.

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