Elves are at work in Pendleton
By Terry Murry on Wednesday, November 27th, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
PENDLETON – It’s the time of year when people get in touch with their inner Santa Claus to help children in need. The nonprofit Northwest Trail Riders Association is a group of elves creating traditional gifts for children in the region – wooden toys.
One of the members of the OHV club is Richard Galloway who was raised in Pilot Rock and Elgin and vividly remembers carving a wooden boat out of a two-by-four with his father when he was 5 or 6. Galloway began making toys for Toys for Tots while living in Kalispell, Montana. He moved to Pendleton in 2014 and shared that story with the club.
“We started looking for a place to do the same thing here,” he said. “The nearest Toys for Tots is in the Tri-Cities and didn’t feel very local.”
Other members reached out to various places to find homes for the wooden toys and Pioneer Relief Nursery became the first recipient. Tum-A-Lum and Kelly Lumber has been donating lumber over the years. Since the woodworking magic began the club has branched out to include schools in Pendleton and Ukiah. This year they are adding the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation to their list.
“We make the toys and these places handle the giving out of the toys to kids in need to make their Christmas a bit happier,” Galloway said. “The numbers change each year as our time allows and as needs change, but we strive for 30 to 50 each of cradles, block wagons, block trucks, or stacking toys. The little cars generally range in the 200 to 300 count.”
Galloway and his wife Lynn of Galloway Artisans get plenty of help from other members of the club, including Buck and Lynnette McEntire, Gary and Makyla Humphreys, Roger Ables, Jeff Waggoner, and Steve Sellers. Donations have come not only from Kelly Lumber and Tum-A-Lum, but also from Zimmerman’s Hardware, Backfire Station, and Woodworkerstoolworks.com. The Northwest Trail Riders Association Toy Fund is at P.O. Box 571, Pendleton, OR 97801 for anyone who wishes to make a tax-deductible donation.
Photo via Northwest Trail Riders Association
