With plush teddy bears and Barbie Dolls strapped to the back of their motorcycles, about 2,300 people participated in the 21st annual Toy Run.

Each year, the popular event aims at collecting Christmas toys for needy children in Haywood County.

"Without a doubt, the Toy Run is one of the largest, if not the largest, fundraiser for children in Haywood County at Christmas. It is important, especially in the recent years of the recession, to help children and by extension their families to have a Merry Christmas," Yount said.

There were 1,468 motorcycles who paraded from downtown Canton and ended at the Wheels Through Time Museum in Maggie Valley where participants dropped off their toys and indulged in a barbecue lunch.

Yount said he expects to distribute up to $9,000 to the community in ...