Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Since 1990, the local U.S. Marine Corps Reserve's Toys For Tots program has provided Christmas for thousands of children who may not otherwise have had one.
Saturday, people will once again have the opportunity to brighten up the lives of Kosciusko County youth by donating new, unwrapped toys during the Toys For Tots drive. The toy drive will be held at National City Bank, downtown Warsaw, from 7 to 11:30 a.m. Gordy Young and Tricia Sloma from WNDU Channel 16 will be there from 7 to 10 a.m., but toys will be collected until 11:30 a.m.
All toys collected stay in Kosciusko County.
U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. David Morales said, "The same goal, as always, is to make sure everyone is taken care of in the county that has a need, a real need."
Last year, collection was down but the drive still collected approximately 8,500 toys, Morales said. "That's still a good number. I'll be happy with any amount of toys."
The toys collected are given to local service organizations, who then provide the toys to families that may not otherwise be able to celebrate Christmas with gifts. Morales also distributes some of the toys himself to families he learns about that needs them. Gifts for children ages 10-16 are often the least provided.
"Last year, several thousand kids were given a Christmas. They got to have a Christmas," said Morales.
Volunteers from all over Kosciusko County will be on hand Saturday to help out, including police and fire department officers, students and others. "I look forward to having people from the community want to volunteer to deliver, sort and distribute toys," said Morales.
If someone can not make it to the drive Saturday, toys can still be donated until Dec. 19. Drop-off barrels are at all Dollar General stores in the county, Owens, Reneker's Sport Shop, Big Lots, Dollar Tree, Kmart, Wal-Mart, Pioneer Auto, Warsaw Community High School, Warsaw Police Department, Monteith Tire, Big R, all National City Bank branches and Mutual Federal Savings Bank. For more information, contact Morales at WCHS at 574-371-5099, Ext. 2367, or at WPD at 574-372-9511.
Morales said, "New, unwrapped toys, from sock hats and mittens to actual toys, game boards - we'll put them to good use no matter what."
Morales thanked everyone for their support over the past 15 years and for making the Toys For Tots program successful each year.
"I feel like it's a privilege for me to do this every year for the community that's given me and my family so much over the years," he said.
Toys for Tots was started in the 1940s by a marine and his wife. Handmade toys were given to needy children by the couple. From there, the program grew and now corporations help sponsor the drive. Morales began the Toys for Tots program in Kosciusko County in 1990.
