As Christmas time approaches, it seems that everybody wants a piece of you. Enough catalogs to fell a rain forest arrive in the mail boxes, letters from worthy causes arrive in droves, appeals from charities, ministries, and a number of organizations fill the airwaves, and people stand outside businesses hoping for donations. It is an annual ritual to which we have become accustomed, if not entirely comfortable. It is easily possible to become cynical and callous during this time.
But the need is great. Not every child — even children in our own communities — will have a merry Christmas. Some families, even families where the adults work as much as they can, simply have too many bills and too low a wage to provide much of a Christmas. Which is why so many organizations step up and intervene. No one wants to see Christmas bypass a child.
Toys for Tots is one of those organizations that will be doing their part this season. Veterans of the United States Marine Corps, who now serve their communities as members of the Marine Corps League, will be placing boxes in businesses to receive gifts of toys throughout Coweta and Fayette counties.
Many of these veterans will be found on the weekends standing behind tables at big box discount stores wishing shoppers a “Merry Christmas” and hoping that toys will be purchased and dropped in the collection boxes. The members of the Sgt. Clyde Thomason Medal of Honor Detachment #1325 have been at this for the last several years.
The Marines have the help of a number of organizations and individuals that assist in the efforts and even veterans’ family members pitch in to help. Of the money and toys collected, 100 percent goes to provide toys for children in Fayette, Coweta, Meriwether, and Heard counties.
It takes about $250,000 worth of toys to meet the needs of the kids and provide Christmas for those who, otherwise, would have an empty tree. In 2015, the local Toys for Tots program provided Christmas for over 5,000 children and the need this year is expected to surpass that number.
For older children, donations of money are needed. Older children are the ones who are traditionally forgotten by most charities. It’s much easier to raise money and provide Christmas for cute little kids. But “tweens” and teens deserve Christmas, too. About $40,000 is needed to provide Christmas for local teens. Those gifts rarely wind up in the toy collections and must be purchased.
The Toys for Toys season began with the Kick-Off Classic between the Starr’s Mill and McIntosh football teams. Now, the effort is gearing up for the few weeks remaining before Christmas. The Marines are doing their part, as they always have. They are asking for your help to make a genuine difference in the lives of thousands of children.
When you see a collection box, put a new toy, or several new toys, in it. No used, hand-me down stuff, please. If you see some Marine veterans behind a table, stop and chat, give toys or drop some money in the collection box (Donations may also be sent to: Toys for Tots, P. O. Box 2307, Peachtree City, GA 30269).
This Christmas, the Marines need your help. More importantly, thousands of children need your help. This is not some far-away endeavor. This effort affects multitudes of kids in our own back yards. Thousands of children will have a Christmas because of you.
[David Epps is the pastor of the Cathedral of Christ the King, Sharpsburg, GA (www.ctkcec.org). He is the bishop of the Mid-South Diocese which consists of Georgia and Tennessee (www.midsouthdiocese.org). He is a Marine Corps veteran and member of the local detachment. He serves as the chaplain for the detachment and for the Department of Georgia. He may contacted at [email protected].]
