BY VICKI TERWILLIGER

Santa could be wearing red … and a little mud this year.

The fourth annual Dirty Santa Toy Run kicks off Sunday, Dec. 1, at the Famous Reading Outdoors near Saint Clair.

Last year’s trail-riding event, coordinated by the Delaware Valley Trail Riders, collected about 1,200 unwrapped gifts for the Marine Corps League Toys for Tots program and drew nearly 700 participants, according to Richard S. Pelkowski, DVTR vice president.

Riders are encouraged to dress up and also deck out their vehicles, with motorcycles, Jeeps, ATVs and side-by-sides welcome. Some participants donate more than one gift, in addition to paying the $40 registration fee.

“It’s a fantastic cause,” Pelkowski said. “Reading Outdoors is a great value, and it’s a great opportunity to ride for the day and see if they’d like an annual membership.”

The family-friendly event offers a unique opportunity for off-highway riders, makes good use of coal mining properties and is a way for trail riders to give back to the community, he said. More ladies may hit the trail this year, as the all-women’s group, Over and Out, is scheduled to participate, according to Pelkowski.

There will be separate routes for motorcycles. A dual sport route, which covers approximately 65 miles, features on- and off-road portions on Reading Outdoors properties up to Mahanoy City.

There will also be a single track of motorcycle width, which covers nearly 20 miles and is exclusively for expert riders, Pelkowski said.

Toys collected will be taken to the Life Centre Foursquare Church in Pottsville for packaging and sorting.

DVTR partnered with detailer RevZilla and FRO to present this year’s toy run. Registration was held through Nov. 17. Anyone still interested in participating can show up the day of the event at the Famous Reading Outdoors, 1.3 miles west on Darkwater Road from Route 61, directly across from the entrance for Pottsville Materials. Sign in is at 8 a.m., with the ride running from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Those who registered in advance will receive a free T-shirt and lunch. The shirt and lunch are not guaranteed for those who sign up on event day. Thousands of dollars worth of prize giveaways are also available to participants.

Contact the writer: 570-628-6007