Santa Claus arrived at the Shriner’s Hospital for Children in North Philadelphia, via a red Harley Davidson, on Sunday. In tow were hundreds of riders from local motorcycle clubs who lined up to donate toys to children under the hospital’s care. (Brad Larrison)
On Harley! On Phantom! On Sabre and Shadow! Come Fury! Come Road Glide. Come V-Rod and Aero!
Santa traded in his reindeer for a chopper as Christmas in July was celebrated with a roar on Sunday. More than 550 motorcyclists rode their bikes, laden with toys, from the Police Academy on State Road to the Shriners Hospitals for Children on the 3500 block of N. Broad Street.
The riders, members of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Centurions Motorcycle Club, brought bags of unwrapped toys for the kids at the hospital, said Frank Ciamaichelo, the chapter’s president.
The toys were just part of club’s donation. Including the $20 each rider chipped in, the Centurions have raised about $32,000 for the Shriners hospital, he said.
The Centurions have been revving their engines for Shriners for 16 years, Ciamaichelo said in a phone interview Monday, and have been celebrating as summertime Santas each year on the last Sunday in July.
