Toys for Tots Campaign Now Underway !!

Once again it was outside Courtesy Ford at 231 West Main that Danville Area Toys for Tots began their annual campaign.  This is the 31st year for the Danville Area chapter, which covers Vermilion County in Illinois, along with Fountain and Warren Counties in Indiana.  And this is also the 75th anniversary for Toys for Tots.  As Danville Area coordinator Megan Montgomery reminds us, it began in the west coast in 1947.

AUDIO: It actually started out in California with a Marine Out in California that saw a need in his community.  And that’s how it all started.

And the Marine Corps continues to be involved today.  Randy Shields of the Marine Corps League was outside Courtesy Ford on Friday.  He says, the need changes a bit each year, but Toys for Tots is always very important.

AUDIO: Of course you have ups and downs on the attendance, the amount of kids and stuff, and the toys we receive, but it’s about the same.  So there’s always need.  Oh ya, always.

Santa Claus agrees with that, and yes, he was there along Main Street Friday, encouraging this year’s first donations for Danville Area Toys for Tots.

AUDIO: It’s really important.  There is so much need in our community for the children that don’t have anything.  And we really want to try and get as many toys to those children as possible.

Like just about everywhere these days, Toys for Tots is having trouble with shipping and deliveries.  But have no fear, Montgomery told us on Friday that Toys for Tots boxes will be seen in local businesses very soon.

AUDIO: Toys for Tots is hoping to have them to us within the next ten days.  So as soon as we get them, we will get them out to businesses for people to donate.  And the list of places that we will have boxes is on our website.

That website would be Danville-IL.toysfortots.org.

Toys will be collected up until about December 10th, with distribution scheduled for around 10 days before Christmas.