CRAWLEY W.Va. (WVDN) – On Saturday, December 13, Santa Claus will be making a special stop at The Pines in Crawley courtesy of Patriots Motorcycle Club. For the 2nd year, Breakfast with Santa will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and will also feature special guests Buddy the Elf and The Grinch. The cost to attend is $5 per person; those aged 3 and under are free.
“We probably had 110 or 115 last year, but we’re prepared for a lot more this year,” said Bob Johnson, President of Patriots Motorcycle Club. Parents are invited to bring their camera and/or phone as there will be several opportunities for photos.
Whenever you see Santa, you know the season of giving is approaching. As many are already aware, Patriots Motorcycle Club holds an annual toy drive to close out the holiday season. Every year, the motorcycle club “adopts” local families who need a helping hand in providing Christmas for their children.
When asked how they choose the families to “adopt” each year as part of their annual toy drive, Johnson spoke openly about the process. “We have people in the school system; we talk to principals and teachers. We’ll call and talk to the parent or guardian, and our big thing is to ask them what is the one gift their child asks for that they won’t be able to get, and we always try to buy that for them,” Johnson said. “That one they ask for, it’s wrapped up with a bow on it.”
On Friday, December 5, Patriots Motorcycle Club members will be collecting toy donations at Walmart in Lewisburg from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. When asked how many hours it takes to make this annual toy drive possible, Johnson replied with a smile. “Man, it’s a bunch. You’re talking 15 or 20 Patriots wrapping in one day,” he said. “Plus, collecting and delivering. I’d say probably per member, it’s a 40-hour week.”
Kim Johnson, wife of Bob Johnson, has already begun wrapping presents for this year’s toy drive. “The majority of the Patriots will get together on December 7 to decorate The Pines and wrap the remaining gifts,” Johnson said.
When it comes to giving, this group and everyone in it show their love of community and its children all year long. Through their annual ‘Ride to Give’ poker run and other fundraisers, they not only provide scholarships to graduating high school seniors but also help the community whenever and wherever possible.
“I’m telling you – we’ve got the most giving group of folks,” Johnson said. “We give throughout the year, but our big thing is Christmas and all these kids. We just try to help our local community when they need a helping hand.”
Speaking of community, the Patriots have teamed up with James Chapel and the Methodist Church in Clintonville to distribute food boxes at the Breakfast with Santa event.
“We also just got through delivering Thanksgiving meals to 9 families,” Johnson said. “It’s not just Christmas – it’s also Thanksgiving, and we’re going to start doing food boxes for Easter in 2026. We also just took gift bags to veterans in every assisted living facility in Greenbrier County. We went out and visited with them and gave them all gift bags.”
For more information or to make a donation, visit the Patriots Motorcycle Club on social media at Facebook.com/patriotmc2016.
