December 20, 2023
The 164th Transportation Battalion out of the Victory Road Armory marched up Meetinghouse Hill on Monday morning in some difficult weather conditions that didn’t deter them from its members from their 13th annual Toy Ruck, a march from the armory through Dorchester and on to Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH).
Few dared to venture out into the treacherous winds and sheets of rain that soaked the region on Monday, but the monsoon-like conditions were no deterrence to the men and women of the National Guard’s 164th Transportation Battalion, based at Victory Road in Dorchester.
About 50 Guardsmen trooped through the neighborhood in tight formation clad in full military fatigues and gear, some featuring Santa hats, and others outfitted with backpacks decorated with Christmas lights.
The “Toy Ruck” march – A “ruck” is the act of marching with weight, or a pack, on the back –has been a tradition for more than a dozen years now.
As the group marched up Adams Street past Meetinghouse Hill with a Boston Police escort, Col. Jason Oberton told the Reporter that the procession was all about cheering up the kids at their destination: Boston Children’s Hospital.
“We set off from Victory Road every year and march down to Boston Children’s Hospital to give the kids gifts and cheer them up,” he said. “We’ve been doing this for 13 years and it used to be much bigger before Covid, but now we’re getting it built up again.”
In the past, the Toy Ruck included some 200 or 300 soldiers, but it was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. Now, they are back to doing the full route with about 50 soldiers participating – though they still cannot directly deliver the toys to children due to ongoing precautions. So, the toy drive is virtual with robust fundraising online, but the march is still very real.
Smiling soldiers had their packs filled and were prepared to celebrate at the hospital once they arrived. The effort raises money for the staff at the hospital, while cheering up the patients there over the holiday season with gifts, Oberton said.
What he didn’t mention, though, was that the event has a personal meaning to him. It started when his own child was seeking care over the holidays at the hospital.
“BCH will always have a special place in my heart since my daughter was a patient there as a newborn,” he wrote on the official fundraising page. “And with this being our 13th Annual Ruck supporting these amazing and strong kids and families, this also supports the staff of BCH. Let’s spread some joy in a world riddled with challenges ahead.”
To donate to the virtual toy drive, go to the BCH website and search for the 164th Battalion’s 13th annual Toy Ruck fundraising page.
