My featured charity for today is Toys for Tots.
It's my sincerest belief that every child deserves a toy for Christmas. And if not something to play with, at least something fun and enjoyable. Like a book or CD or thanks to today's digital age, a gift card for downloads.
Founded in 1947 by Marines reservist Major Bill Hendricks, Toys for Tots has been a charitable organization that has been near and dear to my father's side of the family for decades. After his tour in the US Army, my grandfather joined the Marines for a couple of years. During that time, he would become involved in the Marine Corps annual holiday efforts to collect new and unwrapped toys for children who were spending the holidays in orphanages and hospitals.
My father and my uncle both told me that as closed mouth as he was about his experiences in Korea during the Korean Conflict, my grandfather made sure that his family supported Toys for Tots every year with a carload of presents.
Toys for Tots is one of the few charities that I remember my parents ever donating to. Other than the Republican Party, it might have been the only charity that they supported. But I remember the fun of shopping around a toy store to find the perfect gift for a child in need. As I was not allowed to buy anything for myself from the time of my birthday, which was on or around Thanksgiving, to Christmas, it was a treat to go shopping. Often, I would live vicariously through my purchases, buying what I would like for Christmas for the tots. Who knew that I was a pioneer in the field of subliminal advertising???
There are actually 2 ways to donate with Toys for Tots. First is financially, with a monetary donation that goes toward buying toys. Or you can purchase a toy and donate it in person, by utilizing the organization's online local chapter locator. Both can be accessed here.
For today's Advent present, I share with you one of my favorite holiday rock tunes. Trying to stay topical with Toys for Tots, this song mentions several types of toy requests by children around the world. From 1958, here's Chuck Berry's Run Rudolph Run.
Enjoy!
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