Lisa Bass
Contributing writer
The 2018 Toys For Tots Campaign has begun in the New River Valley with a new local campaign organizer or LCO.
After shadowing the previous two coordinators, Harold (Hank) Ross and Roger Frithiam, Mack Wolfe looks forward to working with familiar faces from previous years, keeping with the traditions set in the past and putting smiles on children’s faces on Christmas morning.
The local Toys for Tots campaign is hosted by the Marine Corps League of the NRV Detachment 1190 and covers the counties of Montgomery, Pulaski, Floyd, Carroll and Grayson and the city of Radford.
The signature Toys For Tots collection boxes are highly recognizable and can be found at many locations throughout the New River Valley.
Wolfe said, “I believe over 100 of them.”
Unwrapped toy donations can be placed in boxes at Walgreens, Total Car Care, Adventure Hobbies and other locations in the New River Valley Mall, Planet Fitness, Long and Fisher offices, Days Inn of Blacksburg, Rural King, Dollar General stores, and around the campus of Radford University and Virginia Tech.
Wolfe said, “Even the RU Ladies Basketball Team is hosting a Toys For Tots toy drive at their game, December 15th. We welcome all the support we can get.”
As an added bonus, some business proprietors will offer discounts to anyone who purchase a toy to be placed in a collection box at that business.
Wolfe said, “Tracy Martin of Adventure Hobbies offers a 15 percent discount.”
The Toys For Tots Foundation generally does not provide toys directly to individuals. The LCO works with local Department of Social Services and other service charities or organizations.
These agencies have the resources to determine who is in need of assistance. Individuals should contact one of those agencies.
Donations money instead of toys can be made online via the www.toysfortots.org website and finding your local campaign. Donated money will be credited to the LCOs credit card account to be spent at area stores for needed toys.
Cash and checks can be given directly to the LCO are immediately credited to the LCO’s credit card. All Monies and all toys collected in this area are for children here locally that need a Christmas.
Wolfe said, “We are an all-volunteer program spending donor’s money and operate on a 97/3 budget. No other non-profit charity can boast that 97 cents out of every dollar donated goes directly to the purchase of toys for children. We can.”
