PORT ANGELES — Volunteers in last month’s Clallam County Toys for Tots campaign distributed 8,907 toys to 4,115 underprivileged children.
Organizers said the demand for Christmas toys reached an all-time high this Christmas season because of the bad economy.
Clallam County Toys for Tots Assistant Coordinator Eric Miner originally had said the goal was to provide 3,920 children with two toys each.
Dan Abbott, Toys for Tots coordinator, said Clallam County citizens rose to the challenge.
“Your efforts, from birthday parties, school toy collections, live music toy drives, store’s special sales, Christmas party collections and monetary donors, helped achieve our goal,” Abbott said in a statement.
“And a huge well-done to all the members and volunteers who braved the cold manning collection boxes, sorting and packing and long hours away from home to help accomplish our mission.”
Fourteen Clallam County agencies distributed the toys after they were collected from 52 drop off locations and three manned collection sites.
The Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program works with foster homes, churches, Boys & Girls clubs and other groups to provide age-specific holiday gifts to kids across the nation.
A team of about 50 volunteers, including members of the Port Angeles Junior ROTC, assisted with the collection and distribution of last month’s Clallam County Toys for Tots drive.
The goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver “a message of hope to less fortunate youngsters that will assist them in becoming responsible, productive, patriotic citizens.”
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
