Annual Toys for Tots drive begins with a call to give more

[unhappycamper]

Annual Toys for Tots drive begins with a call to give more
By Cindy Fisher, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Monday, November 10, 2008

KADENA AIR BASE, Okinawa — Toys for Tots kicked off Saturday at the exchanges on Kadena Air Base and Camp Foster with a call for more toys and more volunteers.

The annual Marine Corps Reserve program — which got its start in 1947 — collects new, unwrapped toys to distribute to families at Christmas.

Toys for Tots on Okinawa is a little different from stateside programs, said Staff Sgt. Felipe Sanchez, the Okinawa program’s lead coordinator. It’s conducted by Reserve Marines but relies on help from active-duty volunteers from all four services, he said.

He hopes to have soldiers, airmen and sailors help man collection boxes and help sort toys in their warehouse on Camp Foster, he said.

"We need every volunteer we can get," he said, especially as this year’s goal is 10,000 toys.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=58721