By Loren Foster
Special to The PREVIEW
The Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots 2019 campaign is underway in Archuleta County.
Thank you to the Pagosa Springs community for its generous donations of toys and checks during the 2018 season. Last year, your contributions enabled 425 local children to each receive up to three toys and a stocking stuffer during the distribution event at the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) Parish at 499 Lewis St.
This location will also be used for the 2019 season with toy distribution scheduled for Dec. 21 starting at 11 a.m. Children will not be permitted in the IHM Parish Hall during the distribution event. Identification is required at check-in only to verify residency in Archuleta County.
To participate in the 2019 Marine Toys for Tots giveaway, parents must register their children online by Dec. 16. Parents may register their children at the following agencies: Aspire, Department of Human Services, Head Start, Rise Above Violence and San Juan Basin Public Health.
Those parents that are not clients of these agencies but wish to register their children should contact Justice Ministries by phone at 264-4483 to leave a message.
If you need help to register, visit the Ruby M. Sisson Memorial Library for assistance with computers to register at the local Marine Toys for Tots website: pagosa-springs-co.toysfortots.org.
Personal information is taken only for the purpose of matching the numbers of toys with the number and age of the children registered and to clarify information provided. No personal information is retained past the 2019 campaign.
Toys and tax-deductible monetary donations are needed and greatly appreciated. All toy and monetary donations remain 100 percent within the county. Toy donations should not exceed $30 each. All monetary donations are used to buy more toys to ensure there are enough for age groups 1 month through 17 years. Sadly, we run out of toys before we run out of children who deserve a little Christmas. Every attempt is made to ensure good purchase decisions using our tax-exempt 501(c)(3) status. We may buy toys locally or, time permitting, purchase them at lower cost from toy wholesalers, making your monetary donations go even further.
Please join us in helping to offer hope and joy to those less-fortunate families with children in our communities. Toy donations may be made at toy drop box locations throughout Pagosa Springs until Dec. 18 as the boxes will be picked up from the toy drop sites for sorting in preparation of distributing them to those who have registered. For toy drop site box locations or to make an online monetary donation via credit card, see the website address above. Please mail checks to Marine Toys For Tots, P.O. Box 1567, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147.
