Toy drive brings Christmas joy to many tots

AIKEN --- The Marine Corps League of Aiken County began its annual Toys for Tots fundraiser last month.

For 12 years, the league has been collecting toys and donations for unprivileged children during the Christmas season.

"It's an annual thing that we do all across the U.S.," Commandant Lane Parker said. "It's something we enjoy doing. It helps the community. It helps the kids."

Money jars and boxes can be seen at several businesses in the area.

All money and toys collected locally are distributed in the community to deserving families.

"Everything we take up we give to the Salvation Army here in Aiken," Mr. Parker said. "We solicit toys and donations, and (the Salvation Army) determines who gets them."

The commandant said that the partnership between the Marine Corps League and the Salvation Army has worked well over the years and that without the Salvation Army, "I don't know what agency we would partner with to do the distribution."

Last year, the league collected about $3,000, and it hopes to raise at least that much this year.

But the league is concerned about how the current economic downturn will affect donations.

"That's one of our big worries we have is people tend not to be as generous when the economy is bad," Mr. Parker said. "But we would ask them that what they can part with we'd like them to at least make a donation so the kids will have a little something for Christmas."

Reach Michelle Guffey at (803) 648-1395, ext. 110, or michelle.guffey@augustachronicle.com