Toys For Tots Reels In Lots Of Bikes
December 5, 2016 at 6:48 p.m.
By -
By the third hour of the toy drive Saturday morning at Martin’s Super Market, Kosciusko Toys For Tots had 13 bicycles.
“It’s been slow, but steady. And then it’s been picking up so far. Right now, as you can tell, we have quite a number of bicycles, and that’s not including what (radio station) Willie 103.5 collected during their drive. So we are very amazed at the number of bicycle donations that we’ve had this year, monetary donations and also the collection so far,” said Warsaw Police Dept. Sgt. and former U.S. Marine Gunnery Sgt. David Morales, the Toys For Tots Kosciusko County area coordinator.
Willie 103.5 had a toy drive for Toys For Tots last week at Walmart and Big R.
Morales said a group from the Octagon Club volunteered at Saturday’s toy drive, and choirs from Wawasee and Warsaw Community High Schools performed.
“We had a number of volunteers from the community just show up willing to help with the drive-thru collection point today,” he said.
Kosciusko County Fireman’s Association delivered their collection to the toy drive about 9 a.m. Saturday.
Dave Sheets, the Association’s Toys For Tots chairman, said this was the third year firefighters from 14 departments in the county participated.
“It’s all about the kids,” he said. “Each department does their own thing.”
Each month he said he takes a jug around to the fire departments and collects donations. Then in December, right before the toy drive, they go to Big R to purchase toys. Big R gives the association a 20 percent discount.
“Each department does what they think they can do,” Sheets said.
Kevin McSherry, Fireman’s Association president, said there’s 374 paid and volunteer firemen in the county.
“We all pull together to make this happen under Dave’s direction,” McSherry said.
WNDU Channel 16 has taken part in the toy drive for 22 years, according to morning news anchor Tricia Sloma, who was broadcasting live from Martin’s Saturday morning. Sloma said she’s been a part of the toy drive since Channel 16 began doing it. She joined WNDU in 1993.
“We’ve had a really great turnout,” she said. “When I came after 6:30 (a.m.), people were waiting for me to give their donations. And it doesn’t start until 7. I’ve been impressed by the kids coming out who are giving to help other kids. That really means a lot.”
One man handmade his donation – a steel battle flag.
“I make a lot of them and I had an extra, so I thought I’d bring it in,” Cliff Smith said.
He said he makes the steel decor in his spare time and enjoys tinkering around with them. His email is [email protected].
Sign-up to receive Toys For Tots ended Friday. Morales said the number of families who registered this year is down to 220 from 315 in 2015.
“Which can be a good thing. That means people have rebounded, they’ve had a better year, so they don’t need to rely on assistance this year,” Morales said.
“Should there be a need, I can still be contacted. I will be wiling to help out even though we’ve ended the sign-up dates. We still have the compassion obviously to take care of those families in need,” he stated.
His contact information is 574-371-5099, Ext. 2367, or email at [email protected].
Martin’s sponsors Toys For Tots every year and has held the Saturday morning toy drive at its Warsaw location for the past couple of years.
Jeri Hadley, Martin’s assistant store manager, said, “We love to sponsor this. We sponsor it every year. We like to give back to the community and the children. Toys For Tots is a wonderful event and we like to be a part of it.”
Martin’s also is one of the locations were a Toys For Tots drop box can be found.
“We do a drive. We keep a drop box in all of the stores so that if people don’t have the opportunity to come out today, we make sure it gets delivered,” she said.
Other drop-off locations include: Menard’s; Old National Bank; Marsh; Dental Solutions; Super Geeks, Detroit Street, Warsaw; Reneker’s; Monteith Tire; Walmart; Zoyo; Big R; Align Life, Market Street, Warsaw; Warsaw City Hall; CVS, Warsaw; all Dollar General Stores in the county; Walgreens; Game Stop; Time After Time, Mentone; American Legion Post 223, Syracuse; Warsaw Community Schools; WPD; Lakeside Fitness, Syracuse; several shops in The Village at Winona and Beacon Credit Union.
Both The Car Company and Best Deal Auto are doing their own toy drives. American Legion Post 223 hosted a spaghetti dinner fundraiser for Toys For Tots Saturday.
Singer Susie McEntire is returning to Warsaw for the third consecutive year to help support Toys For Tots. The “Country Christmas with Susie McEntire” is scheduled for Dec. 10 in the Lakeview Middle School auditorium. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the free show starting at 7 p.m. While no ticket is required, each attendee is asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy.
For more information on Toys For Tots, visit the website at www.toysfortots.org.
By the third hour of the toy drive Saturday morning at Martin’s Super Market, Kosciusko Toys For Tots had 13 bicycles.
“It’s been slow, but steady. And then it’s been picking up so far. Right now, as you can tell, we have quite a number of bicycles, and that’s not including what (radio station) Willie 103.5 collected during their drive. So we are very amazed at the number of bicycle donations that we’ve had this year, monetary donations and also the collection so far,” said Warsaw Police Dept. Sgt. and former U.S. Marine Gunnery Sgt. David Morales, the Toys For Tots Kosciusko County area coordinator.
Willie 103.5 had a toy drive for Toys For Tots last week at Walmart and Big R.
Morales said a group from the Octagon Club volunteered at Saturday’s toy drive, and choirs from Wawasee and Warsaw Community High Schools performed.
“We had a number of volunteers from the community just show up willing to help with the drive-thru collection point today,” he said.
Kosciusko County Fireman’s Association delivered their collection to the toy drive about 9 a.m. Saturday.
Dave Sheets, the Association’s Toys For Tots chairman, said this was the third year firefighters from 14 departments in the county participated.
“It’s all about the kids,” he said. “Each department does their own thing.”
Each month he said he takes a jug around to the fire departments and collects donations. Then in December, right before the toy drive, they go to Big R to purchase toys. Big R gives the association a 20 percent discount.
“Each department does what they think they can do,” Sheets said.
Kevin McSherry, Fireman’s Association president, said there’s 374 paid and volunteer firemen in the county.
“We all pull together to make this happen under Dave’s direction,” McSherry said.
WNDU Channel 16 has taken part in the toy drive for 22 years, according to morning news anchor Tricia Sloma, who was broadcasting live from Martin’s Saturday morning. Sloma said she’s been a part of the toy drive since Channel 16 began doing it. She joined WNDU in 1993.
“We’ve had a really great turnout,” she said. “When I came after 6:30 (a.m.), people were waiting for me to give their donations. And it doesn’t start until 7. I’ve been impressed by the kids coming out who are giving to help other kids. That really means a lot.”
One man handmade his donation – a steel battle flag.
“I make a lot of them and I had an extra, so I thought I’d bring it in,” Cliff Smith said.
He said he makes the steel decor in his spare time and enjoys tinkering around with them. His email is [email protected].
Sign-up to receive Toys For Tots ended Friday. Morales said the number of families who registered this year is down to 220 from 315 in 2015.
“Which can be a good thing. That means people have rebounded, they’ve had a better year, so they don’t need to rely on assistance this year,” Morales said.
“Should there be a need, I can still be contacted. I will be wiling to help out even though we’ve ended the sign-up dates. We still have the compassion obviously to take care of those families in need,” he stated.
His contact information is 574-371-5099, Ext. 2367, or email at [email protected].
Martin’s sponsors Toys For Tots every year and has held the Saturday morning toy drive at its Warsaw location for the past couple of years.
Jeri Hadley, Martin’s assistant store manager, said, “We love to sponsor this. We sponsor it every year. We like to give back to the community and the children. Toys For Tots is a wonderful event and we like to be a part of it.”
Martin’s also is one of the locations were a Toys For Tots drop box can be found.
“We do a drive. We keep a drop box in all of the stores so that if people don’t have the opportunity to come out today, we make sure it gets delivered,” she said.
Other drop-off locations include: Menard’s; Old National Bank; Marsh; Dental Solutions; Super Geeks, Detroit Street, Warsaw; Reneker’s; Monteith Tire; Walmart; Zoyo; Big R; Align Life, Market Street, Warsaw; Warsaw City Hall; CVS, Warsaw; all Dollar General Stores in the county; Walgreens; Game Stop; Time After Time, Mentone; American Legion Post 223, Syracuse; Warsaw Community Schools; WPD; Lakeside Fitness, Syracuse; several shops in The Village at Winona and Beacon Credit Union.
Both The Car Company and Best Deal Auto are doing their own toy drives. American Legion Post 223 hosted a spaghetti dinner fundraiser for Toys For Tots Saturday.
Singer Susie McEntire is returning to Warsaw for the third consecutive year to help support Toys For Tots. The “Country Christmas with Susie McEntire” is scheduled for Dec. 10 in the Lakeview Middle School auditorium. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the free show starting at 7 p.m. While no ticket is required, each attendee is asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy.
For more information on Toys For Tots, visit the website at www.toysfortots.org.
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