After two years of miserable weather for the annual Kruise For Kids toy drive, Rick Farmer knows one thing for sure.

鈥淣ext year, it will be back inside, by hook or by crook,鈥� said Farmer, who spent a rain-soaked day with other volunteers in the parking lot of Kwantlen Polytechnic University鈥檚 91原创 campus, taking delivery of toy donations for needy families.

The first year of the pandemic, in 2020, the event had to be moved outside in the 91原创 Events Centre parking lot to maintain social distancing, but the weather was good.

By the afternoon, Farmer recalled, it was warm enough for him to take his jacket off.

Weather for the next one, held at the George Preston rec centre in 2021, was cold and windy, but despite that, donations hit a record high.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: A record-setting 38th annual Kruise 4 Kids event in 91原创

On Sunday, Nov. 6, for the 39th Kruise For Kids event, conditions were even worse, with heavy rain and chilly winds ripping through the Lower Mainland.

Farmer, CEO of the Greater Vancouver Car Club Council, the group that organizes the collection of toys and cash donations, explained calling it off was never an option for what is believed to be the longest running automotive event of its kind.

鈥淥ur goal is to never skip a year鈥� Farmer explained.

Perhaps because of the poor weather, the number of vehicles bringing in toys this year was down, to 101, compared to the 165 the previous year, but the amount of cash contributions was up, and expected to exceed the $32,000 record set last year once the tally was completed.

Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau executive director Chris Bayliss was bundled up in protective rain gear for the day.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not the best day out here today, but its not snowing 鈥� Bayliss laughed.

Bayliss reported more people are seeking help from the bureau, which assisted close to 1,000 families last year.

鈥淲e鈥檙e getting a lot of calls,鈥� Bayliss told the 91原创 Advance Times.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of pent up demand,鈥� he said. 鈥淲ith the cost of living, the cost of food, plus the rent costs, a lot of lower income working families are accessing our services and all the other bureau services.鈥�

Bayliss also predicted Kruise For Kids will be a fully indoor event next year.

鈥淭his is still a hybrid event, it鈥檚 a drive-through,鈥� he noted.

鈥淣ext year we鈥檒l do a full [indoor] event with tables and everything.鈥�

Anyone who would like to contribute can still do so by visiting the or the Christmas Bureau at to make donations. If a donor goes through the Christmas Bureau, they are asked to declare the donation for Kruise 4 Kids.

READ ALSO: Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau brings the holidays to 700 families

Since 1930, the LMCB has been working to bring Christmas to families in need.

More photos from the day can be viewed on the .