The 11th annual Marie Ussery Memorial Toy Run, sponsored by the Southside Riders Association (SRA), will take place at 1 p.m. Saturday.

While SRA is dedicated to improving the lives of children in the Griffin-Spalding County area and beyond, the holiday season motorcycle ride holds special meaning as it serves to honor the life of member Peggy Ussery’s 3-year-old granddaughter, Marie, who died in 1998, the event’s inaugural year.

Dedicating the ride in Marie’s memory is particularly meaningful as proceeds from the event are used to make Christmas more enjoyable for local children.

“There are actually two things we do,” said SRA Public Relations Chairman Doug Taylor. “The first is we have a party for kids in foster care and that’s only for foster kids. The second is we have a Secret Santa program that provides Christmas for families in four counties — Spalding, Pike, Lamar and Butts. We go through DFCS (the Department of Family and Children Services) and are supplied with the names of families who may need help providing toys to their children.”

Even as many are struggling through personal economic difficulties, which makes the assistance provided by SRA more necessary than ever, the local motorcycle association is striving to overcome a recent setback of its own.

“Each year, we provide for anywhere from five to 10 kids per county. It’s based on how much we raise through our golf tournament and Toy Run,” Taylor said, adding that it was necessary to cancel this year’s golf tournament due to low registration. “It’s going to be a little slimmer this year, but we’ll do the best we can.”

Toy Run participants will begin gathering at Buffalo’s Cafe at 1 p.m. and a poker run kicks off at 2:30 p.m. with prizes awarded for the best and worst hands. Following the ride, door prizes will be awarded and a 50/50 drawing and auction will be held.

During these activities, SRA has a special event planned for the younger set — a Guitar Hero competition with prizes to be awarded.

Taylor said everyone is welcome to attend.

“You don’t even have to be a motorcyclist,” he said.

Registration for the Toy Run and the events afterward is $15 and the Guitar Hero competition fee is $10.

For additional information call Peggy Ussery at 404-403-7916, Tonie Biles at 404-867-2714 or Mark Barnhouse at 678-588-1377.