The Colorado Springs running community helped brighten Christmas for those who need a little help in the Pikes Peak Region on Tuesday as several hundred pounds of food and enough toys to fill Santa's sleigh were collected at the second PikesPeakSports.us/Jack Quinn's Running Club Christmas Bash at Stargazers' Theatre.
Eighteen area businesses and nonprofit organizations pitched in to help cover the costs.
Kangaroo Coffee had collected about 300 pounds of food and at least 100 toys in the days leading up to the event.
O'Dell Beer pitched in two custom snowboards that were raffled by the Jack Quinn's Running Club, raising another $250 for Care and Share, which can by nearly a ton of food with the money.
The Christmas Bash was the second hosted by PikesPeakSports.us, with help from the Jack Quinn's Running Club and Stargazers.
The band Tribe brought the house down with its cool Cajun music. The beer flowed and the food served up by the Stargazers' staff was great.
But 85-year-old Audrey MacDonald stole the show. MacDonald completed her 100th run with the club to earn the organization's coveted black-and-gold tech shirt.
Two long-time Jack Quinn's Running Club officers, Adam Hulsey and Lauren Johnson, earned special shirts for completing 200 runs. Teresa Jackson picked up her 100-run shirt.
Special thanks go out to Mick Barton, who worked the mic and kept the jokes coming.
And heartfelt thanks to John and Cindy Hooton, the owners of Stargazers Theatre, for their kind hospitality.