{"id":21958,"date":"2025-11-01T20:45:17","date_gmt":"2025-11-01T20:45:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/21958\/"},"modified":"2025-11-01T20:45:17","modified_gmt":"2025-11-01T20:45:17","slug":"final-tuckers-toy-run-brings-thousands-of-toys-for-st-lukes-pediatrics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/21958\/","title":{"rendered":"Final Tucker’s Toy Run brings thousands of toys for St. Luke’s pediatrics"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 2011, Rick Nauman started a toy drive for St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital pediatric patients, named Tucker\u2019s Toy Run in honor of his friend Tucker Stuart, who died in a motorcycle crash that year.<\/p>\n

In that first year, roughly 60 motorcyclists left from the Tri-Boro Sportsmen Club in Northampton Borough with a collection of about 100 toys to drop off at St. Luke\u2019s Bethlehem location.<\/p>\n

On Saturday, Nauman led about 1,000 motorcyclists<\/a>\u00a0to drop off another load of toys for the final time.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s wild to me that there\u2019s this many people here to support this cause,\u201d Nauman told the crowd. \u201cIt\u2019s crazy, it\u2019s just overwhelming.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roughly 60,000 toys have been donated to the hospital over the past 15 years, he estimated. This year was the last year for the run, a bittersweet moment for Nauman, who never expected it to grow the way it did.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s nothing like this,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Nauman, of Catasauqua, worked with Stuart for a little bit before he died<\/a>. After his death, Nauman asked his family if they could do a toy drive in his honor. It\u2019s grown considerably over the years, in part because of how generous the motorcycle community is, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey just open their hearts and wallets,\u201d Nauman said.<\/p>\n

\"Volunteers<\/p>\n

Volunteers help to unload toys during the last Tucker Toy Run for St. Luke\u2019s pediatric patients on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill . (Jane Therese\/Special to The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"Brian<\/p>\n

Brian Smith of Emmaus gives Jen Boandl a hug during the last Tucker Toy Run for St. Luke\u2019s pediatric patients on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill . (Jane Therese\/Special to The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"Motorcyclists<\/p>\n

Motorcyclists arrive for the last Tucker Toy Run for St. Luke\u2019s pediatric patients on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill . (Jane Therese\/Special to The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"Volunteers<\/p>\n

Volunteers help to unload toys during the last Tucker Toy Run for St. Luke\u2019s pediatric patients on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill . (Jane Therese\/Special to The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"Rick<\/p>\n

Rick Nauman of Northampton, organizer for Tucker Toy Run, poses with Pat Gubich, St. Luke\u2019s Pediatric Patient Caregiver, during the last Tucker Toy Run for St. Luke\u2019s pediatric patients on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill . (Jane Therese\/Special to The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"Motorcyclists<\/p>\n

Motorcyclists arrive for the last Tucker Toy Run for St. Luke\u2019s pediatric patients on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill . (Jane Therese\/Special to The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"Motorcyclists<\/p>\n

Motorcyclists arrive for the last Tucker Toy Run for St. Luke\u2019s pediatric patients on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill . (Jane Therese\/Special to The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"Motorcyclists<\/p>\n

Motorcyclists arrive for the last Tucker Toy Run for St. Luke\u2019s pediatric patients on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill . (Jane Therese\/Special to The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"Motorcyclists<\/p>\n

Motorcyclists arrive for the last Tucker Toy Run for St. Luke\u2019s pediatric patients on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill . (Jane Therese\/Special to The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"Motorcyclists<\/p>\n

Motorcyclists arrive for the last Tucker Toy Run for St. Luke\u2019s pediatric patients on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill . (Jane Therese\/Special to The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"Motorcyclists<\/p>\n

Motorcyclists arrive for the last Tucker Toy Run for St. Luke\u2019s pediatric patients on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill . (Jane Therese\/Special to The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"Cooper<\/p>\n

Cooper Ward of Emmaus helps to unload toys during the last Tucker Toy Run for St. Luke\u2019s pediatric patients on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill . (Jane Therese\/Special to The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"People<\/p>\n

People gather during the last Tucker Toy Run for St. Luke\u2019s pediatric patients on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill . (Jane Therese\/Special to The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"Rick<\/p>\n

Rick Nauman of Northampton, organizer for Tucker Toy Run, speaks during the last Tucker Toy Run for St. Luke\u2019s pediatric patients on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill . (Jane Therese\/Special to The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"Hundreds<\/p>\n

Hundreds of toys during the last Tucker Toy Run for St. Luke\u2019s pediatric patients on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill . (Jane Therese\/Special to The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"Rick<\/p>\n

Rick Nauman of Northampton, organizer for Tucker Toy Run, and Sheila Yudt of Northampton during the last Tucker Toy Run for St. Luke\u2019s pediatric patients on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill . (Jane Therese\/Special to The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"Rick<\/p>\n

Rick Nauman of Northampton, organizer for Tucker Toy Run, poses with Pat Gubich, St. Luke\u2019s Pediatric Patient Caregiver, during the last Tucker Toy Run for St. Luke\u2019s pediatric patients on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill . (Jane Therese\/Special to The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"People<\/p>\n

People gather during the last Tucker Toy Run for St. Luke\u2019s pediatric patients on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill . (Jane Therese\/Special to The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"Hundreds<\/p>\n

Hundreds of toys during the last Tucker Toy Run for St. Luke\u2019s pediatric patients on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill . (Jane Therese\/Special to The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"People<\/p>\n

People gather for a photo during the last Tucker Toy Run for St. Luke\u2019s pediatric patients on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill . (Jane Therese\/Special to The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"Cooper<\/p>\n

Cooper Ward of Emmaus helps to unload toys during the last Tucker Toy Run for St. Luke\u2019s pediatric patients on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill . (Jane Therese\/Special to The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

A trailer of toys for the last Tucker Toy Run for St. Luke\u2019s pediatric patients on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill . (Jane Therese\/Special to The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"Adaline<\/p>\n

Adaline Figueroa, 8, of Northampton helps to unload toys during the last Tucker Toy Run for St. Luke\u2019s pediatric patients on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill . (Jane Therese\/Special to The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

\"Motorcyclists<\/p>\n

Motorcyclists arrive for the last Tucker Toy Run for St. Luke\u2019s pediatric patients on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill . (Jane Therese\/Special to The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

Show Caption<\/p>\n

1 of 24<\/p>\n

Volunteers help to unload toys during the last Tucker Toy Run for St. Luke\u2019s pediatric patients on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill . (Jane Therese\/Special to The Morning Call)\n<\/p>\n

Expand<\/a><\/p>\n

He said after 15 years, however, it had become a lot of work to put it all together. It felt like it was a good time to end it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would like to go out on top,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Nauman, followed by a few first responder vehicles, led motorcyclists down Ostrum Street as they brought a trailer and small busload of toys to St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital in Fountain Hill. A number of supporters lined the streets and cheered them on as they made their final stop.<\/p>\n

All kinds of toys, including dolls, Lego sets, board games and Hot Wheels, were unloaded by motorcyclists and hospital staff.<\/p>\n

Pat Gubrich, patient care manager for the pediatric unit, said a toy in the hands of a child in their care goes a long way. It makes their experience there a little bit better by bringing them some happiness in what can be a difficult time.<\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, it touches so many lives,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Sometimes a parent can\u2019t be there during a portion of their child\u2019s stay. The children may also be facing a difficult procedure. A toy can help put them at ease. They are handed out to kids throughout the year.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re just so blessed,\u201d Gubrich said.<\/p>\n

Wendy Lazo, president of St. Luke\u2019s in Fountain Hill, told the group that the work they did was incredible. She noted they all united for a single cause.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not that common,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd it\u2019s pretty \u2026 awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nauman said he had no idea what he was doing when he started the toy run, which also raised over $500,000 over the past 15 years. It became something he never expected, and it shows what people can do when they put themselves out there, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope people are inspired by what we have done.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In 2011, Rick Nauman started a toy drive for St. Luke\u2019s University Hospital pediatric patients, named Tucker\u2019s Toy…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":21959,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[153,155,154,182,139,434,28,432],"class_list":{"0":"post-21958","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-bethlehem","8":"tag-bethlehem","9":"tag-bethlehem-headlines","10":"tag-bethlehem-news","11":"tag-local-news","12":"tag-news","13":"tag-northampton-county","14":"tag-pennsylvania","15":"tag-top-stories-tmc"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21958","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21958"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21958\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21958"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21958"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21958"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}