(Editor’s note: The following article was submitted by Katy Ishee, organizer of the Highway 41 Toy Convoy.)

The Highway 41 Toy Convoy has been rolling for 24 years to help brighten Christmas for the kids of Coffee and Bedford Counties.

 The Gene Taylor and Steve Graves Christmas Foundation, Manchester Police Department and  Wartrace Fire Department will be sharing the toys with the kids in their area.

This year we will be saluting our men and women in blue and first responders .  “I am so proud to announce our Grand Marshal, this year, Cathy Hinners!” said  Katy Ishee, organizer of the convoy. Cathy is a decorated, retired police officer from the Albany N.Y Police Dept. Upon her retirement, she developed and instructed a 3-day class for law enforcement titled Middle Eastern: Crime, Culture and Community, based on the knowledge she acquired while working in an emerging Middle Eastern/Muslim area.

Cathy also worked as a sub-contract instructor for the U.S Department of Homeland Security’s Center for Domestic Preparedness, where she delivered mobile training to members of the New York Police Department, the National Guard, and various other law enforcement agencies. A segment of the class Cathy instructed was on Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and bomb recognition.

In an on-going effort to learn and be effective in her training, Cathy completed several U.S Department of Homeland Security courses in areas such as explosives at New Mexico Tech, Threat and Vulnerability Assessments at West Point Military Academy, and Technical Emergency Response Training for CBRNE Incidents at the Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston AL. Several other certifications were also received through courses with the New York State Department of Homeland Security, such as Domestic Terrorist incidents, the Incident Command System (all levels) and Active Shooter Response.

Upon her retirement and move to Tennessee, Cathy became active in investigating and exposing the Muslim Brotherhood organizations and individuals within Tennessee and in America. Cathy now travels throughout the states speaking on the incursion of terrorist organizations infiltrating as well as the threats in your own backyard.

In June of 2015, the Southern Poverty Law Center named Cathy one of the 12 most “hard-lined, anti- Muslim” women in America along with Laura Ingraham, Anne Coulter, Bridgette Gabriel and Clare Lopez.

Cathy is the founder of Dailyrollcall.com. Dailyrollcall is also a group of retired law enforcement and military personnel that actively investigate and vet tips given by concerned citizens.

Cathy is a regular guest on the Michael Delgiorno Show on Nashville’s Super Talk 99.7 radio, every Monday. Other radio segments done on a regular basis are with Red State Radio’s Scott Adams Show, and the Melody Burns show.

Cathy replied, when invited, “Oh wow I would be so honored!  I’m so excited about this!”

All vehicles are welcome to join that can travel 45 MPH safely. We are expecting, big rigs hot rods, family cars, trucks and vans.

The Ridge Runner Jeep Club will also be joining the convoy. Samuel Jarrett, of RRDC is challenging all 4 WD clubs to come join them in the convoy.

 A motorcycle, car, jeep, truck and big rig show will follow. All entries must register at Raiders Academy 865 McMinnville Highway in Manchester and ride in the convoy. Entry fee is $10 a carload and  $20 to show. The entry fee helps cover s expenses for the convoy.  Everyone is asked to please bring a new unwrapped toy or two.

Lineup is at Raiders Academy in Manchester. The convoy will roll at noon with a police escort  rain or shine.  The new route will be from the school on Highway 55  up to the main light in Manchester then turn north on Highway 41 and travel out to Beech Grove. There we will be turning west on Highway 64 and travel to the town square in Wartrace. Please join us with your own flags along the route. It is a sight to see.  The Highway 41 Toy Convoy is the largest event of its type that invites all vehicles in the South.   We have been contacted by  Nashville car club who is also planning to join us this year.

Door prizes, which have been donated by local businesses, will be given away throughout the day. You can call 931-857-3643  if you would like to donate.

Trophies will be awarded to the winners of the car show. The trophy theme this year is red, white and blue. Classes will be announced at a later date.

Big rigs will park along the highway before the railroad. The square around  Wartrace  will be closed from noon to 5 p.m. Motorcycles will go around the square to the caution light and park on both sides of  Main Street  and back around the curve.  Show entries will fill the parking lot on the square and the parking lot in the curve by the buildings and the jeeps will park in the grassy area by the RR at the Y.

We have always flown the American flag to salute our military and men and women in blue and first responders.  Last year we had over 225 vehicles of all sizes shapes and colors flying our flag. I expect more flags than ever this year. The convoy is a very patriotic event, saluting not just our men and women in blue , but our men and women in the military.  So many people from the Wartrace area are already getting excited about the convoy coming to town. “It was great to be able to help the kids over here last year,” remarked Ben Cataldo, Wartrace fireman and co-owner of the Iron Horse Pizza. "We are proud to be a sponsor of the convoy."