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By CHRIS SCHNEIDMILLER; Times Leader Staff Writer
Sunday, December 07, 1997 Page: 3A
WILKES-BARRE- The location and day are new but the need to supply a happy
holiday to local children is the same.
Volunteers with the Toys for Tots program will be distributing tens of
thousands of toys to needy families on Monday, Dec. 22, at a Wilkes-Barre
warehouse.
This year’s distribution date is four days later than 1996, when Toys for
Tots worked out of the old McCrory’s building in Pittston.
The warehouse at 30 Wood St. has a loading dock, office space, heat and
electricity- which its predecessor lacked. Program organizers hope delaying
the distribution date will help them gather more toys.
“We had over 30,000 children who needed toys last year. We think it’s going
to be up this year,” said U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Greg Wiggins, military
coordinator for the program.
This is the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots
program, in which donated toys are given to families who might not otherwise
be able to afford them.
The Northeastern Pennsylvania program has 300 toy drop-off sites at banks,
businesses and government offices in Luzerne, Lackawanna and parts of several
other counties, Wiggins said. Toys are being accepted until shortly before
distribution begins at 8 a.m. on Dec. 22.
Area residents donated between 60,000 and 70,000 toys last year, Wiggins
said.
Organizers hope to gather more than 70,000 toys this year. They would like
to give four toys to every child.
Families receiving some sort of public assistance who have children up to
14 years old are eligible to receive toys, said Mina Hontz, program civilian
coordinator. They need to bring a letter from their caseworker if on welfare
or at least a receipt if receiving Social Security for a disability, she said.
When they arrive at the warehouse, donation recipients will fill out a form
asking for information on their children. Volunteers will then collect
appropriate toys,
As of Thursday, between 800 and 1,000 toys had been collected.
“I think that’s pretty usual. You always start out slow. The last two weeks
before Christmas, that’s when it starts to get heavy,” Wiggins said.
Donators are asked to give new, unwrapped toys. Money donations can be
mailed to: MWSS 472, Detachment Alpha, 1118 Wyoming Ave., Wyoming, Pa., 18644.
The Reserves also are sponsoring a “Christmas Extravaganza” at 7 p.m.
Wednesday at the Mayfair Supper Club in Laflin. Donations of $10 or toys will
be accepted for entrance to the party, which includes performances by various
local entertainers.
“All I can tell everybody is to have a Merry Christmas and help out as much
as they can,” Hontz said.
TIMES LEADER/RICHARD SABATURA
U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Joel Davis, Staff Sgt. Greg Wiggins and Staff Sgt.
Cecil Beverly, from left to right, unpack toys Friday at the Toys for Tots
program warehouse at 30 Wood St. in Wilkes-Barre. Organizers hope to collect
more than 70,000 toys this year.