JOHN COFFELT Contributor

The community has come together after a fire at the Coffee County Rescue Squad Dec. 4 destroyed all of the Gene Taylor and Steve Graves Christmas Foundation’s donations stored at the station.

Gene Taylor and Steve Graves Christmas Foundation’s Larry Floyd said that the outpouring of love from the community has been great.

“Everybody has pitched in. Monday (was) our big day. All the businesses and banks brought in (donations).”

“I think we’re going to have more than what we had when we started,” Floyd said. “That’s not surprising, because I know how our town is. We live in a great town with very caring people.”

Floyd said that each year the giving improves.

“It’s great,” he said. “It’s just overwhelmed me.”

The donations are coming not just from Manchester toy drives, but from across the state. Brothers of the Wheel Motorcycle Club donated 16 bikes and a collection of toys Saturday,

Brothers of the Wheel President Don Schuler said “We saw a need for some of the toys we collected. We usually get about 160 bicycles a year to give away to kids in Franklin and Coffee counties.”

The club collects money through curbside collection, a poker run and an event at the Franklin County VFW with a $5 cover charge and an unwrapped toy.

Schuler joked that the public should not intimidated by the popular conception of the “biker gang.”

“We’re nice guys, but we get a bad rap with the TV shows and everything,” he said.   “All we do is help with the community. We probably donate $15,000 a year with toys and scholarships.”