Marine Corps League Honors Curtiss & Crandon

Curtiss & Crandon Realtors was honored last week by the Marine Corps League for its support of the Marines’ annual Toys For Tots campaign.

Members of the Ridgefield detachment of the Marine Corps League presented Kathy Quinn of Curtiss & Crandon with a plaque to hang in the office, expressing appreciation “to the management, staff, and employees of Curtiss & Crandon” for the many years of support of the annual toy drive.

“We and the less fortunate children thank you,” the inscription on the plaque read.

 The Marine Corps reserve group volunteers made two or three trips each week to Curtiss & Crandon to pick up thousands of donated toys. In addition to the toys donated by local residents and businesses, there also were hundreds more collected by the Newtown police and brought to the real estate office at 45 South Main Street.

“This past year’s Toys For Tots was a huge success as greater numbers of companies and individuals donated generously,” said Bill Peeler, chairman of the Ridgefield league’s campaign.

“We were able to distribute to substantially more organizations and cover a wider area than ever before,” he said.

The Marines collected more than 35,000 toys to be distributed primarily throughout Fairfield County. Similar drives are held throughout the United States by the reserve units. Toys are distributed through social service agencies in the area towns.

“In addition to toys, we also received donations of money,” Mr Peeler said. “This is used to buy toys from for a wish list — toys that children have requested. It’s a win-win situation.”

The Toys For Tots campaign will celebrate its 33rd year this fall.