The goal is to make sure no
child goes without a toy this holiday season.
This is the 60th year for
the Marine Corp Reserve Toys for Tots, and the drive is now underway in Santa
Barbara County, according to Kirk A. Martin, volunteer coordinator of the
program for the past 12 years.
“We’ve placed boxes at all
the county fire stations,” Martin explained. “We want to make sure everyone who
wants to help has access to a drop area.”
The toys collected in the
county are given to local children by the Marines, who pick up the donations on
Dec. 20, just in time to wrap and label them for distribution to area
youngsters.
Martin
asked that all donations be new, unwrapped toys. Last year the group,
co-sponsored by Volt Workforce Solutions, with county offices in Santa Barbara
and Santa Maria, distributed over 9,000 toys locally.
“Toys for Tots is one of my
passions,” Martin added. He is an account manager with Volt in Santa Barbara.
Persons aware of children who could benefit from the Toys for Tots program
should contact Martin at his office, (805) 560-8658.
In addition to the fire
station drop boxes, the fourth annual Toys for Tots benefit in the Santa Ynez
Valley will be held Dec. 8 at the Chumash Casino Resort’s Samala Showroom,
featuring country star Terri Clark. Winner of CMA and ACM Female Vocalist of
the Year nominations, Clark is best known for a series of hits that include “I
Wanna Do It All,” and “Girls Lie Too.” She also is known as an accomplished
guitar player and songwriter.
One hundred percent of the
proceeds from this year’s benefit will go to the Toys for Tots organization.
Persons attending the event are asked to not bring toys or other gifts, but to
donate funds to the charity instead.
Tickets are $25. Information
is available at StarTicketsPlus, (800) 585-3737.