"I Want To Donate"

Basic Info

This is a messenger-style bicycle race in downtown Atlanta put on by Faster Mustache, a local bicycle club. The race will work with the local Atlanta Toys For Tots program. The Toys For Tots' mission statement:

The mission of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.

The idea of the race is that riders will pick up and deliver YOUR toy so that you don't have to. The team of cyclists that travels the most "toy miles" wins!

Time/Date/Location

The race will be Saturday, December 16, 2006 from 10:30am until 4:00 pm (or until all the toys have been picked up). The race will start in Hurt Park on Edgewood Avenue Google Map. Once the race has started, all race organizers will move to the Georgia State Bookstore around the corner at 66 Courtland Street. The Georgia State Bookstore is already a Toys For Tots drop-off location and we are simply going to fill up their bins throughout the day!

"Great, what do I need to do?"

There are three easy steps:

1. Purchase a new, unwrapped toy.
2. Fill out the basic web email form here to register your toy with us.
3. On the day of the race either be home to hand-off the toy or leave it conveniently hidden so that a rider may find it and pick it up.

"What type of toy should I donate?"

"New unwrapped" means in the original packaging but not gift wrapped.
Some suggestions from other Toys for Tots programs:

• Over the years, as Toys For Tots Members have delivered thousands of toys to various hospitals, schools, orphanages, etc., they have discovered that while some toys are very welcome, others create problems. Stuffed animals can no longer be accepted. Because of hygienic problems, many juvenile institutions will not accept stuffed animals. PLEASE, NO STUFFED ANIMALS.
• Toy guns, knives, whips, brass knuckles, handcuffs, etc. are also looked down on. And remember, NO FOOD, NO PETS.
• When selecting a toy, please remember that not only young children, but many teenagers and young adults also need your help at Christmastime. Therefore we need more sports equipment (bats, baseballs, gloves, footballs, soccer balls, basketballs, bicycles) board games (Parcheesi, Monopoly, Sorry, Clue) books (Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys) dolls (Ken, Barbie, G.I. Joe) toy cars, toy trucks, toy planes, toy boats, and toy motorcycles.
• Protect the toys from bad weather, but do not gift wrap your toy donations. Toys must be sorted by age and sex before being delivered, so they must not be wrapped, and some institutions will not let their children receive wrapped toys. All wrapped toys must be unwrapped before they will be accepted into the TFT Program.

Furthermore, most toys will be carried cyclists with messenger bags or back packs. We request a maximum weight of 10 lbs. and a maximum dimension of 12 in. x 12 in. x 12 in.

"Can I donate multiple toys?"

Of course! Simply register EACH TOY with us. For example, if you want to donate a toy car and a toy doll, simply fill out the registration two seperate times. The first time fill out the toy description with "toy car" and the second time enter "toy doll".

The purpose of Toys For Tots is to provide presents to children who may otherwise receive nothing. We would rather you donate several inexpensive toys than one expensive toy. Also, the more toys to pick up the longer and more fun our race will be for us (but this is only an extra bonus).

"I'd love to, but I don't know if I will be home to hand-off the toy."

No problem. We will pick up toys left outside at your discression. When you fill out the web email form, simply check the box that says "I won't be home to hand off the toy". Remember, don't leave the toy in a place where it may be exposed to the elements. It could rain that day. Also, please don't put toys in difficult places for the rider to reach. Riders will not enter your house, climb fences, trample through flower beds, or any other gymnastic manouvers =P.

"Is it possible that someone will steal my toy if I leave it outside unattended?"

Unfortuately, yes, this is possible. First off, if you are leaving your toy outside, place it somewhere less conspicuous like behind a pillar or under a bench. However, if someone steals your toy it may be that they need it for their son/daughter, in which case its probably not worth worrying about. The toy will still find its way to a needy child ;)

"I live in an apartment complex with a gate, a building with a doorman, etc."

Still not a problem. Simply treat the rider as you would any pizza delivery guy/gal. The rider will call when he/she is on the way to your house. However, riders won't wait around too long; after all they are racing!

"This is awesome but I want to race too/ I want to spectate the race."

No problem. When you fill out the web email form, simply check the box that says "I won't be home to hand off the toy" and head over to the race info page.

Privacy Policy

We need your email address to remind you that the race is coming up. We will send a mass email ~5 days before the race. We'll probably send you a second email after the race to thank you for your participation and let you know the results of the race.

We need your street address so we know where to pick up the toy.

We need your contact phone number so that the rider assigned to your toy can confirm (during the race) that you are either home to hand-off the toy, or that the toy has been hidden outside your house.

We are not out to collect people's information. All data will be deleted after the race.


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