Trinidad Hosts First Annual Toy Poker Run, Community Toy Drive Event

Organizers have scheduled a First Annual Toy Poker Run to start at 11 a.m. on Saturday November 15 at The Santa Fe Tavern, 1920 N. Linden Ave. The event listing published November 13 in the World Journal invites cars, trucks and motorcycles to participate in a family friendly route through the Trinidad area. Activities at the starting location will include a silent auction, a 50 50 raffle and food served by The Coal Stove. Attendees who bring a toy will receive a five dollar discount on entry.

The notice is posted as an event listing rather than a news feature, but the details matter for residents seeking ways to support local families during the holiday season. Toy drives and community fundraisers can ease financial pressures for households that face limited incomes, crowded social service systems and barriers to accessing donations in rural counties. In Las Animas County, where distance to services and transportation challenges shape access to support, local giving events can create immediate relief while building neighborhood connections.

Beyond gift giving, events like the poker run serve as a form of community resilience. They bring people together physically and socially, creating networks that can be tapped for other needs such as food assistance, transportation coordination and information about public health resources. When donations are collected locally and distributed close to home, organizers can tailor assistance to community needs and reduce gaps in service delivery.

At the same time, organizing a motor vehicle based event requires attention to safety and inclusion. Mixing cars, trucks and motorcycles on a public route calls for coordination with local traffic authorities and clear safety plans. Event hosts and participants should also consider how to make the drive accessible to residents without private vehicles, such as coordinating drop off points for donations or partnering with community organizations for collection and distribution.

For residents planning to attend, the event offers a straightforward way to contribute. The Santa Fe Tavern is the starting point, activities begin at 11 a.m., and bringing a new toy reduces the entry cost by five dollars. For community leaders and policymakers, the run highlights opportunities to strengthen partnerships between small businesses, nonprofit groups and county services to address seasonal needs and longer term inequities. Local giving events are meaningful, but sustained investment in accessible services and coordinated outreach remains essential to reduce health and economic disparities across Las Animas County.