Toys For Tots gears up for season of giving
It’s that time of year again when Marty Pay of Farmers Insurance collects Christmas gifts for local children in the annual Toys For Tots donation drive.
Twice a year, Pay gives Santa Claus a helping hand by hosting drives in July and before Christmas.
The United States Marine Corps’ Toys For Tots program believes that all children are well-deserving, and Pay has been doing his part to bring Christmas magic to less fortunate children for the past four years.
Last year, Pay said, he collected approximately 1,200 toys in the July and December drives, all of which were distributed to Tehachapi children.
“We would like to break last year’s record, but we know it will be kind of tough,” said Pay, who is himself a Marine veteran. To make a toy donation, bring a new, unwrapped toy to Marty Pay Insurance Agency, located at 212 W. F St. Additional collection sites can be found at Tehachapi Treasure Trove, Tehachapi Martial Arts Center, Country Real Estate, Bank of the West, Tehachapi Area Association of Realtors, Inc., and the city of Tehachapi.
“I think this year’s toy drive is much more important because there is a greater need in the community now because of COVID,” Pay said. “This community is incredible. I have never seen a community like this.”
Toy donations will be collected through Dec. 10. Pay will then deliver the donated toys to Tompkins Elementary School.
Recommended ages for donated toys is for elementary school-age children; however, Pay said he recently found out that there is a great need for toys for older children. In addition, gift cards and cash donations are accepted.
“The gifts are given by locals for locals. We have to take care of our villagers,” said Jim Wallace, president and co-founder of Tehachapi Cancer Foundation.
As with the last toy drives, everybody who donates a toy will get a chance at a drawing for several prizes, including a 45-inch flat screen television donated by Sage Ranch.
“The city of Tehachapi is once again honored to be asked to participate in such a worthy cause. We encourage everyone to think about those children that may not be as fortunate as most of us and come by City Hall and drop off an unwrapped toy that will be gifted to a local child,” said City Manager Greg Garrett.
For more information on how you can help brighten the holidays for a local child, contact Marty Pay at 822-3737.