20th Annual Rock’n’Roll Toy Drive sold out

Craig Bakay | Dec 11, 2019

For the first time in its 20-year history, the Rock’n’Roll Toy Drive has been sold out before the night of the event.

“All of the 250 tickets have been sold,” said Tom Revell, Verona-area musician who’s been instrumental in bringing the event to fruition for more than two decades. “We’re really happy.

“We sold out last year too but the last of the tickets were sold at the door that night.”

The Rock’n’Roll Toy Drive is an evening of music and silent auctions at the Sydenham Legion Dec. 14. Doors are open at 7:30 p.m. with the music starting at 8 p.m. unlike previous years when it started at 9 p.m. This year’s bands include Little Betty, Still Standing, Project 29 and Bauderroad.

“We’re starting the bands earlier this year because even though it goes to 1 a.m., people start to leave about 12:30,” he said. “But as people go, others can come in.

“The folks at the door will deal with that.”

All proceeds go to the Sydenham Relief Fund and Christmas for Kids.

Although this is ‘officially’ the 20th such event, Revell said they actually held a couple of similar events before getting the current incarnation going.

“We actually started in 1994, I think, with Little Betty,” he said. “I think we did a couple but then took a couple of years off. Something like that.”

Revell acknowledged he didn’t organize these things all by himself.”

“Jamie Deline did much of the organizing again,” he said.

And, he said, they wouldn’t be able to do it without some corporate sponsors.

“Ryan Rose at Century 21 has helped us every year with a $250 donation to get things going,” he said. “Our other corporate sponsors who helped pay for the event are BDK Insulation and Cataraqui Cabinets.

“And Foodland Sydenham and Findlay Foods have been great.”