Santa’s Ride collects toys for children in the hospital

Santa’s route covers children in the hospital.

Santa Claus will be making the rounds on a Harley instead of a reindeer-pulled sleigh next week as he picks up donated toys throughout Northern Virginia for hospitalized children.

It’s the 28th year of the annual Santa’s Ride for Children, a project spearheaded by the Fairfax County Police Motorcycle Squad, in cooperation with the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office, Virginia State Police, Fairfax City Police, Falls Church Sheriff’s Office, the Town of Vienna Police, and the Herndon Police.

Police officers will escort Santa and his elves as they collect toys from the public Dec. 13 at police stations, other government facilities, and eight Fairfax County schools. One stop will be Woodburn Elementary School, at some point in the morning.

The following day, Santa and his helpers will deliver toys to children at INOVA Children’s Hospital’s Child Life Services Center and Georgetown Hospital’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. Some of the toys will remain at the hospitals for children undergoing treatment.

Toys will also go to various local charities, including Inova’s Life with Cancer and Herndon-Reston FISH (Friendly Instant Sympathetic Help).

Anyone wishing to make a donation should bring a new, unwrapped toy, game, book, or other gift – by 9 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 12 – to any Fairfax County police station, the print shop at the Fairfax County Government Center, or the lobbies of the Pennino or Herrity Office Buildings.