Sometimes Santa Claus needs his squad of motorcycle riders to spread holiday cheer.

And that came early this year at Children’s Hospital Colorado at Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, where thousands of Harley-Davidson riders rolled in and donated thousands of toys throughout Sunday morning and early afternoon.

Between 1,500 and 2,000 motorcycle riders showed up for the 39th annual Harley Toy Run, organized by Mile High Harley, according to hospital officials.

Not one on two wheels was without a toy to donate. Even some area first responders brought bags of toys to share.

These toys are to be cared for by patients within the hospital’s child life specialist team program throughout the Children’s Hospital Colorado system.

“It’s seeing the smiles and seeing all the children line up, and it’s just, it’s awesome,” said Janet Cook, a Harley-Davidson rider, organizer and CEO at Big Iron Sports, owner of Mile High Harley.

“It feels so good to give back to the community and to give back to children that are in need or children that are sick,” Cook said, “and that’s especially around this time, around Christmas and the holidays.”

Dozens of families, children and even Captain America stood outside while thousands of motorcycle riders, with toys on the bikes, waved to the crowd and up to the building, where children waved back from the hospital windows.

“Sometimes Harley, sometimes bikers don’t get a good rap,” Cook said. “But riders are very generous. They have such gratitude for being part of a community and riding bikes. This is a tribe. We all like to get together and do something good for the community.”

Leeta Davis, a Harley-Davidson rider who donated two sets of toys and action figures, said taking part in the toy drive meant a lot, adding “it is the best of the best.”

Bob Cuculich, a motorcycle rider himself and an organizer, said “the whole community, the whole motorcycle community, comes together for this.

“We love what children do for our kids here, they work miracles here every day,” he said.

Every rider donates at least one toy, but most donate more with some bringing bags full of toys, according to Blayke Roznowski, a spokesperson for Children’s Hospital Colorado.

“This incredibly generous donation helps provide thousands of toys to Children’s Colorado patients across all of our campuses throughout the year,” she said.

“We couldn’t be more grateful.”

The toys are to be distributed among an association of volunteers paired with child life specialists with the hospital system. These thousands of toys donated on Sunday will last until at least the middle of next year, according to Roznowski.

Cook, who is in her first year not riding in the toy drive, concluded; “There is something about giving, rather than receiving, and I think that’s what this is all about.”