May 8, 2017 - Shelby County Today was saddened to hear of the passing of Ed Roberts on Sunday, May 7, 2017. Besides the lives he touched personally and being a long time police officer with the Center Police Department, Roberts' life impacted many families throughout Shelby County for 36 years. Many may not have known him personally but they appreciated the spirit of the man who was the driving force of "Santa Ride's a Motorcycle." Below is a 2009 article written after an interview with Roberts. Prayers for his family and friends during this time.
Santa Rides a Motorcycle in its 29th Year
December 23, 2009 - Santa Rides a Motorcycle has been busy this past month sacking presents that have been collected by many organizations and members of the community. Ed Roberts, a founding member of Santa Rides a Motorcycle which was started by the East Texas Ramblers in 1980, starts every year as soon as the toys come in preparing them to be distributed to families in the county - a job which is done out of his living room.
Over the years the program has grown into a family affair with his son Eddie Roberts, Jr. traveling home from West Texas to help and his wife Pat and her sister Marylee Evans managing the hardest part of the process – the bagging. This year they have bagged and delivered over 670 bags full of toys and still have more to do. Ed Roberts said that their biggest year was in 2002 when they delivered a whopping 902 bags to families, which was quite an increase from the 325 that was delivered the first year.
Roberts said, “It’s not about me but about these kids that get these toys! It is a fun thing and something I want to do the rest of my life.”
The process is simple. Members of the community or the families themselves turn in requests for children, some requests coming in Christmas Eve. Each child’s information, name and age, is filled out on a request sheet and then the toys, which have all been donated, are bagged for the family. Once bags are ready to go, volunteers from each area collect the bags and deliver them to the parents – hopefully without the children seeing! This year there are 10 volunteers that are helping with delivery of presents, which is the best part.
Roberts also stated that the purpose of ‘Santa Rides a Motorcycle’ is to help families to have a better Christmas!
