Silverstar helps to share the Christmas joy
Silverstar Casino assists the annual toy run in achieving its goal by providing gifts to underprivileged children based in Johannesburg during the festive season.
The festive season is all about connecting with loved ones, cherishing every moment and giving. With the help of Silverstar Casino hundreds of children will wear a smile this Christmas because of the Motorcycle Toy Run.
To put a smile on underprivileged children’s faces, Silverstar recently assisted in the annual Gauteng Motorcycle Toy Run where several gift hampers will now be given to underprivileged children based throughout Johannesburg this Christmas. The initiative was started in 1981 and continues to make strides.
Ian Mattsson who works for the Motorcycle Toy Run, said the drive involves the biker fraternity of Johannesburg which collects about 25 000 gifts per day for children around Johannesburg.
The toys are then delivered to service clubs and charity organisations so that children can celebrate Christmas with a gift. The event had over a hundred stalls, a sound stage with several bands, entertainment, and a beer garden to make for an interesting morning’s entertainment. Toys are collected from the bikers and the public and organised by the volunteers while the attendees enjoy the entertainment.
Robert Lee, the head marshall of the Motorcycle Toy Run, confirmed the gifts given to the children not only contain toys but also a variety of essential items such as sanitary products for their health along with stationery which will help them when they return to school.
The Toy Run mass drive will start to reach out to other areas such as Irene Village Mall in the North of Johannesburg, the Blockhouse garage in the South and Carnival City Casino in the East.
Silverstar general manager Ryan Nicholas highlighted the importance of institutions playing a role in helping the community and how special it will be for the children to receive the gifts.
“What makes this time of the year so special is the shared joy of giving and receiving. For us at Silverstar Casino, it is the joy of providing gifts that truly brings one of the most precious sights to behold, the delight on a child’s face of being able to enjoy a present that is truly their own. We are committed to aiding The Toy Run and will be sponsoring the Toy Run’s Annual Conference with the provision of our conference facilities, catering, and hotel. Every year the cost of the Toy Run grows, even with sponsorships in kind and special equipment hire rates, therefore the more support received means that more gifts can be provided to children in need,” Nicholas said.
Silverstar is one of the four major departure points for the motorbike drive of which over 80 000 people for over 10 years have played a role in putting smiles on the faces of many children. The drive ends at Benoni Northers Sports Grounds. The event started on November 26.
