POWAY, Calif. — Airport tenants, local families, San Diego County Airports and Delkin Devices, a local manufacturer in Poway, are once again partnering with the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation to bring the event back to Ramona Airport for the sixth time this Saturday, Dec. 8.
Toys for Tots collects new, unopened toys, which are distributed to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas. Last year, the Toys for Tots program collected and distributed over 16 million toys to over 7 million less fortunate children.
For the past 6 years, Delkin has made it a tradition to participate in the Toys for Tots program, as their yearly employee and company charity event. Last year over $12,500 worth of toys and donations were gathered from employees, customers, suppliers and a host of volunteers. Added to this were hundreds of donations from local Ramona and surrounding area residents.
“Despite tough economic times, we ask that everyone dig deep and come out to support the Marines in their endeavor to make millions of kids happy during the holidays and continue to grow the Ramona Airport Toys for Tots drive.” says CEO Martin Wood.
The U.S. Marines and many volunteers will be collecting toys at the public viewing area and from arriving aircraft at the Ramona Airport on Dec. 8 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The public viewing area is located at 2926 Montecito Road and will have on display various Marine Corps vehicles and military vehicles. The airport viewing area is also a great spot to see incoming aircraft land to unload toys from many of San Diego County’s airports.
According to Wood, they also will be cooking about 150 hamburgers with all the fixings, available on a first come, first served basis to to pilots taxiing in with toys. “We gave away about 120 last year — a cheap $100 hamburger,” he said.
The Toys for Tots program initially began in 1947 in Los Angeles, and has since expanded nationwide. The goal of the program is “to deliver, through a new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to less fortunate youngsters that will assist them into becoming responsible, productive, patriotic citizens.” Since Toys for Tots first began, the Marines have distributed more than 452 million toys to more than 209 million needy children around the country. The Toys for Tots train logo was designed by Walt Disney Studios.
For more information: Delkin.com, ToysForTots.org
