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Residents of Oakboro will notice two happenings coming up in the next two weeks for the local Toys for Tots Campaign.

This Wednesday, Oakboro Police Chief T.J. Smith and Stanly County Sheriff Jeff Crisco will again be high atop Butch’s NAPA Auto Parts Store at 318 N. Main St. for the sixth annual Oakboro Police Department Toy Drive. Smith will not come down off the top of the roof until the trailer is full of toys.

Hosted by the store,  Stanly County Marine Corps League Detachment 1021, Oakboro Police Department and Stanly County Sheriff’s Office, the drive has so far given more than 26,000 gifts to 7,874 children in Stanly County.

Every toy and donation received by the program stays in the county, from the various donation boxes to the trailer which will be in front of the auto parts store Wednesday.

Local area ministries accept applications for families and do the screening and distribution of gifts supplied from the donations.

The second Toys for Tots event will feature the roar of motorcycles in the western end of Stanly and beyond.

The 2021 Stanly County Toys for Tots Ride for the Children, sponsored by the Guardian Nomad Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club, will be Saturday at Tailgators Sports Grill in Locust. Registration will be $20 per bike or vehicle and start at 9:45 a.m. Kickstands will go up at 11 a.m. and the ride will end around 1 p.m.