When children living in Denver’s Westwood neighborhood heard the sounds of motorcycle engines revving their way toward them Saturday, they jumped for joy.
Members of the “Los Cochinos,” a riding club, drove in waving, cheering and bearing gifts.
The children, many of whom will get little if anything for Christmas, were rewarded with bicycles for getting straight A’s on report cards and for their participation in the Bridge Project, a nonprofit that provides education services to children who live in public-housing apartments.
For six years, members of the “Los Cochinos” have held their “Toyz in the Hood Run.” They have staged fundraisers such as poker runs to raise money for the children at Christmas, because many of the members have grown up in similar surroundings around Denver.
“We grew up in housing projects. This is all about them and this community,” said Dave Valdez, who helped spearhead the toy drive six years ago.
About 50 members of the group were joined by wives, girlfriends and their children, who all donned red Santa Claus hats and handed out toys, bicycles and treats to hundreds of children who were in a line that ran for four blocks.
Last year, 12 children got great grades on their report cards, and 12 bicycles were handed out. This year, the number of kids making good grades climbed to 80.
“If this is what it takes for kids to get good grades, then so be it,” said Los Cochinos member Lisa Valdez, who rode a “defiant red” Harley-Davidson motorcycle from the nightclub MGM’s, where members of the group enjoyed a breakfast of menudo and posole before heading off to meet the children at the Westwood Opportunity Center.
When “Los Cochinos” members are not raising money for children, they hold fundraisers to help pay funeral and burial expenses for members or for people living in the west Denver community.
This year, the organization got support from Councilman Paul Lopez, who grew up in Westwood and now represents it.
“They have a great philosophy in rewarding kids who get good grades,” Lopez said. “I’m happy to support their efforts to see no kids in Westwood get left out.”
Inside the community center, dozens of tough-looking burly men with beards and moustaches and clad in black leather helped children of all ages maneuver through a crowded room where each received gifts, a visit with a tattooed Santa Claus and treats.
Antonio Alc’on got in the line outside the community center at 8:30 a.m. and was joined by his two children.
“What this means to the people of the Westwood projects is that they’re angels,” Alc’on said.
Annette Espinoza: 303-954-1655 or aespinoza@denverpost.com
