Again this year the West Michigan Chapter of WCR wants to assist in the efforts so that the children in our community receive at least one gift on Christmas morning. With this mission in mind we are asking that we all get more involved and collect toys at your offices and get others who may want to participate involved. We want to make our Toys For Tots Drive bigger than ever and we need your help to do so. Please let us know if there is anything we can help with to get you and/or your office involved.
Personal Reflection
If you reflect on your own life and recall what it meant to receive a toy at Christmas, you cannot help but realize the positive impact that a new toy had on your life. Concurrently, you can imagine how devastating it would have been to receive nothing while all your friends received a new toy. Many may recall when a neighbor received nothing at Christmas because his or her family was experiencing hard times. It is painful to think about the impact a Christmas without a toy had on the child and how adversely it impacted on his or her self-esteem and future. Some never recovered and ultimately never realized their potential.
Understanding Toys For Tots
Toys for Tots is the Marine Corps’ premier community action program,, one of the nation’s flagship charitable endeavors, and American tradition and a national treasure. For over half a century, Marines have been the unchallenged leaders in looking after needy children at Christmas. The Toys for Tots message of hope for the future has motivated youngsters to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens. Toys for Tots has earned the distinction as a program which plays an important role in helping youngsters emerge from a background of poverty to adulthood as assets to society. Toys for Tots not only benefits children, but also has a positive impact on communities, on businesses – large and small, on the Marine Corp and on the nation. Toys for Tots is one vehicle for addressing the issue of poverty among children.
