EDITORIAL -- FEATURE SPOT, Letters to the Editor, Opinion
 By  Staff Reports Published 
5:00 pm Sunday, January 17, 2021

Letter to the Editor: ‘We have been able to raise $118,000’ for children

Dear editor,

The Eldridge Toy Run Coordinators Committee would like to take time to thank everyone who took part in this year’s event.

2020 was a tough year, and the unknowns have produced new challenges for everyone.
This year’s event was one that almost didn’t happen, but thanks to a lot of hard work and many prayers, Dec. 5, 2020, was a day many will forever remember.

Riders arrived from all over the Southeast to show their support for the children at the Alabama Free Will Baptist Children’s Home, who stood at a distance and waved to welcome the motorcycle riders and classic and antique cars to the Eldridge Children’s Home. Everyone gathered outside, visited, gave gifts, enjoyed a meal together and shared their time, their donations and their hearts with the children and staff of the home.

Each child living in the home received Christmas gifts and was able to visit with their sponsors; even those children who were under quarantine were able to sit outside and open their gifts while their sponsors watched from a distance.

Smiles and laughter were shared that day, and tears were shed together.

We are pleased to announce that a new record has been broken, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, through the hard work of our volunteers; the generosity of our donors and sponsors; and the blood, sweat and tears that have been shed in the effort to make this event happen during such trying times.

The total amount raised as of the day of the event was more than $105,000! To date, we have been able to raise $118,000 to benefit the Alabama Free Will Baptist Children’s Home located in Eldridge.

None of this would have been possible without donations received from our Golden Sponsors:

  • Nick’s Kids Foundation – Tuscaloosa
  • John and Charlene Powell – Stecoah, N.C.
  • City Cleaners – Hamilton
  • Tony Terry – Northport
  • Fontaine Fabrication – Haleyville
  • 8-Ball Memorial Ride – Amory, Miss.
  • New Hope Baptist – Haleyville
  • Scott Frederick – Haleyville
  • Alabama Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans
  • Winston County Grays – Haleyville
  • Paul Faucett Logging – Winfield
  • Gintown Lowlife Society – Birmingham
  • Wal-Mart Foundation #409 – Haleyville
  • Luke Bozeman – Millport
  • Ricky Grace – Jasper
  • Eddie Lindsey – Winfield
  • Trinity Assembly of God – Red Bay
  • West Alabama Raised Riders – Fayette
  • Jasper Men’s Chorale – Jasper
  • Warrior Roofing (Duane Cunningham) – Tuscaloosa
  • Jenny Brooks Johnson Order of Confederate Rose, Chapter 18
  • E-Z Mart/Navaho Gas – Haleyville
  • Frank Collins – Berry

Thanks to everyone involved! Without you, none of this would have been made possible.

Most of all, we thank God for what He is doing in the lives of these children at the Alabama Free Will Baptist Children’s Home.

Sincerely,

The Eldridge Toy Run Coordinators Committee

Also on Franklin County Times
Cameras give law enforcement a leg up
Main, News, Russellville, ...
Kevin Taylor For the FCT 
March 25, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE – Police Chief Chris Hargett was at a conference in 2020 and while passing by some of the vendors there, he noticed one promoting a camer...
Defense project has public, vets ‘excited’
Main, News, Z - News Main
By Brady Petree and Addi Broadfoot 
March 25, 2026
BARTON— The queue of people clamoring to get into the Hadrian facility on Friday was lined down the sidewalk as members of the public and military vet...
Flanagan enjoys romance book cover modeling
Main, News, Phil Campbell, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
March 25, 2026
PHIL CAMPBELL — What started as a few comedy videos on TikTok has grown into a career that has taken Andrew Flanagan from a welding job to romance nov...
Still waiting for rural ambulance answers
Columnists, Opinion
March 25, 2026
Rural Alabama has been waiting decades for access to affordable health services — and despite the empty promises of a bill funneling millions of dolla...
GFWC focuses on Alzheimer’s
Columnists, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
March 25, 2026
The GFWC Book Lovers Study Club focused on Alzheimer’s awareness during its March meeting at Russellville First Baptist Church. Alzheimer’s disease gr...
Pitching is key focus for Patriots
College Sports, Sports
By Brady Petree For the FCT 
March 25, 2026
The 2024-25 collegiate baseball season was a solid one for the Northwest Shoals Community College Patriots and head coach David Langston knows what it...
Patriots build on strengths for fourth season
College Sports, Sports
By Addi Broadfoot For the FCT 
March 25, 2026
The softball program at Northwest-Shoals Community College continues to grow as it enters its fourth season since being relaunched. Head coach Angel B...
RHS boys soccer aiming for state run
B: Spring Sports, High School Sports, Russellville Golden Tigers, ...
By Addi Broadfoot For the FCT 
March 25, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — The boys soccer team is off to a strong start this season and is aiming for a deep playoff run. Coach Larsen Plyler said the team has t...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *