Photo By Cpl. Christopher Johns | Marines volunteering for a Toys for Tots drive pass toys to other boxes at the USS...... read more read more
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SAN DIEGO – Marines and sailors with reserve units around the San Diego area have one yearly Christmas mission—their mission, to collect toys for low-income families and children throughout the area.
The USS Midway hosted a Toys for Tots event with reserve units and local media in an effort to help the Marine Corps gather more than 200,000 toys for children of low-income families, Dec. 1.
“[People] have been coming down to our event to donate toys and receive tickets to go aboard the USS Midway in return, as a way of giving something back,” said Staff Sgt. Romualdo Colon-Adorno, the Toys for Tots event coordinator for San Diego South and a Stephentown, N.Y., native. “We’re trying to get as many toys as humanly possible.”
More than 60 years ago, Diane Hendricks, the wife of Col. William L. Hendricks of the Marine Corps Reserves in Los Angeles, started making dolls for her husband to take to an agency that would give them to children. Unfortunately, no such organization existed, so the Hendricks’ decided to start one of their own – the Toys for Tots Foundation.
“Every year we assist some of the nonprofit organizations when they go to the schools and hold events to give the toys to the children,” said Colon-Adorno. “We give the toys to the kids, the parents come over and shake our hands and the kids look so surprised they just don’t know what to do with themselves.”
People donating are responsible for providing at least some small form of holiday happiness to the children of those less fortunate than themselves.
“I feel very good having donated a toy for the kids,” said Laura Stinson, a contributor and an Ann Arbor, Mich., native. “I would imagine the children will enjoy the toys very much and the Marines being down here to help is just great.”
The mission behind the Toys for Tots Foundation is to deliver, through a new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to less fortunate youngsters that will assist them into becoming responsible, productive and patriotic citizens, provided the foundation’s website.
The people donating aren’t the only ones receiving a sense of joy from giving of themselves, Marine volunteers also feel a sense joy to lend a helping hand.
“People have been donating toys of all sizes and cash to ensure the kids have a great Christmas this year,” said Lance Cpl. Jesus Trajo, a volunteer from Camp Pendleton and an Oxnard, Calif., native. “Everyone’s having fun. This is the first time I’ve ever [volunteered for Toys for Tots] and it’s amazing. I was extremely fortunate there was a spot left to volunteer and I’m so happy to be here. I hope the kids are as ecstatic to get these toys as I was to help collect them.”
| Date Taken: | 12.01.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 12.03.2012 17:38 |
| Story ID: | 98679 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Hometown: | SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 146 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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