It's not very often that you see horses along the streets of Parksville, but this Sunday spectators can watch horses and their riders during the Silver Spur Toy Ride.
Silver Spur Riding Club members will leave on their horses from Ballenas Secondary School on Nov. 20 at about 12:10 p.m. and will arrive at the Society of Organized Services (SOS) around 12:30 p.m. or just before.
People are encouraged to bring new and unwrapped toys to put in their wagons or saddlebags along the way to help fill the SOS Toy Shop.
Toy ride co-ordinator Carol Wolver said the Silver Spur Riding Club has been doing the toy ride for more than 20 years.
This year, she said, there will be between 30 and 40 riders. Riding club members will come together, adorn themselves and their horses in festive attire and collect toys for the SOS Caring For Kids at Christmas program.
Wolver said that along the parade route there are usually a couple hundred people watching. She also said the best place to watch is along Morison Avenue.
"Along the route, people come out and watch and run over to the wagon and drop off an unwrapped gift," Wolver said.
Thrifty Foods will provide a lunch at the SOS, and then the riders will continue on to Stanford Place to spread more Christmas cheer.
— NEWS Staff