Motorcyclist-sailor launches holiday toy drive

MS Scott Ferron poses on a motorcycle with one of his hand-made, fun helmet covers.

Peter Mallett
Staff Writer
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MS Scott Ferron’s unusual hobby is now part of a philanthropic endeavour to help sick children on Vancouver Island.

The HMCS Yellowknife sailor creates fuzzy character covers for motorcycle helmets. They add levity to an often misconstrued biker persona, one he is all too familiar with when he straddles his Harley Davidson. They are themed after Muppet characters. 

“Riding around with my helmet cover makes people smile; their smiles are contagious because the experience also makes me smile,” says MS Ferron.

He plans on wearing one when he delivers toys from his toy drive to local hospitals, something he has also done when posted to Halifax.

“It’s an absolutely amazing experience and you can actually hear the excitement of the children snowball as word that a guy wearing a giant Muppet-like helmet is handing out toys travels down the hallways,” he says.

He is currently gathering toys for the Victoria General, Nanaimo Regional, Campbell River District Hospital, and the Ministry of Children and Family Development B.C. Beneficiaries are sick children, orphans, children at medical appointments, and parents of premature babies.

Collection boxes are set up at Victoria-area businesses including Liquor Planet, Barnes Harley-Davidson, the customer service kiosk at The Hudson’s Bay Centre, and the North Oyster Fire Hall near Nanaimo. A donation box is expected in Dockyard as well.

MS Ferron says his intention is to spread a little joy and holiday cheer.

“There is a lot of negative in the world, especially lately. and I wanted to make something as mundane as being in a hospital at Christmas time fun,” he says. “If I can make one kid smile while they are on their way for treatment, then that’s perfect.”

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