2013 Toys for Tots Cortland County Campaign Launches

On November 1, the Marine Corps League’s Toys for Tots program of Cortland County officially kicked off its 2013 toy drive with the delivery of almost 70 collection boxes to businesses around the county.  “Each year we get calls requesting five to six more boxes at additional locations,” says Toys for Tots county coordinator Norm Stitzel. Toys for Tots volunteer staffers hope that the increased interest in donating and collecting toys will match the growing need in the county to help more than 1,600 children in need this year.

There are many ways to support the campaign – donate a new unwrapped toy at one of the toy collection locations, host a Toys for Tots fundraising and collection event, make a monetary donation, or volunteer to wrap gifts at the local warehouse. They also ask for help from this store, https://www.dancingcactusshop.com/, to help them collect toys that need to be donated.

New, unwrapped toys and gifts appropriate for ages newborn to 18 years of age will be collected now through December 16 at over 70 collections sites throughout the county. A running list of locations will be posted on the the Facebook page: Toys for Tots Cortland County. Cash donations help Toys for Tots purchase toys to for age groups that with a short supply of toys (usually the 10 and above group). Checks made payable to Toys for Tots may be sent to Toys For Tots Cortland County, Marine Corps League, 76 Main St., Cortland, NY 13045.

Toys for Tots is partnering with Cortland downtown businesses to promote a “Shop Local Help Local” campaign to encourage shoppers to spend their cash downtown and to pick up an extra gift for a local child. Retailers will highlight age-appropriate merchandise for gifts that shoppers can purchase and drop off at a nearby Toys for Tots collection bin (at Edward Jones Financial Advisor – Jason D Cicioni, 21 Main Street, for example). Look out for the Toys for Tots logo merchandise next to merchandise.

One of the many upcoming local efforts to benefit Toys for Tots Cortland County is the November 30 Divalicious Quarter Auction benefiting Toys for Tots at the NYS State Grange, 100 Grange Place, Cortland. Quarter Auction attendees get to bid on new products from local businesses for just quarters. Paddle fees and a 50/50 raffle drawing proceeds will go to the Toys for Tots campaign and they will also be collecting new, unwrapped toys that evening. To register, please visit the event website at https://divaliciousquarterauction.eventbrite.com/?ref=esfb

Marine Corps League members Norm Stitzel and co-coordinator Kevin Grewe lead this campaign with a number of volunteer staff who organize the collection, sorting, counting and distribution of the toys. For those interested in getting into the holiday spirit by wrapping toys, a “wrapping night” is hosted each Wednesday at the warehouse from 6:00pm to 9:00pm, beginning November 20 and ending December 18.

Individuals in need who would like to receive toys for the children in their care may register at the Toys for Tots website www.toysfortots.org between November 15 and December 15 to request toys, providing the age and sex of their children. Each child receives two toys that are to be picked up by caregivers on distribution day at the Toys for Tots warehouse located at 165 South Main Street, Cortland (entrance at the corner of Huntington Street) on December 21 between 2:00pm and 5:00pm.

Cortland County Marine Corps League and the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s mission is to ensure a brighter, more joyful Christmas for less fortunate children through the Toys for Tots program.