Residents Have Options On Where

To Donate Toys For Tots

By Shannon Hicks

Newtown Police Officers were out in force last weekend. They weren’t handing out any citations or warnings, however. This time the seven members of Newtown Police Department were instead doing some collecting.

Sergeant Dave Kullgren, Detective Daniel McAnaspie, and Officers Rich Chapman, Robert Haas, Richard Monckton, Scott Ruszczyk, and Matthew Wood were outside TJ Maxx in Sand Hill Plaza for four hours on December 4, collecting new, unwrapped toys that were going to be in turn given to the US Marine Corps for its annual Toys For Tots collection.

By the end of their toy drive, the police officers had filled their command vehicle, an oversize utility truck, with a large collection of donations ranging from stuffed animals and play vehicles to coloring books and child-size toolboxes. While some donors showed up with items for the police officers, many took advantage of the parked vehicle’s location in front of the department store to pick up something while they were shopping.

Joining the men on Saturday was Bruno Carmo, an employee of recently opened The Meat House, who offered $5 gift cards to those who donated to the toy drive.

Residents who missed last weekend’s toy drive still have time to donate to the 2010 Toys For Tots campaign. There are five locations set up in Newtown, and donations are requested by Saturday, December 18. Jack O’Keefe, the coordinator for the Ridgefield area, which includes Newtown among its coverage, notes that the organization does receive many requests for things for teens and accepts items for that age group as well as younger children.

Coldwell Banker continues to collect new, unwrapped gifts for children, in support of the Toys for Tots program, at its 45 South Main Street office. The staff has already filled two of its conference rooms with donations, collected by a representative of the US Marine Corps for distribution, and hopes to repeat that effort before the holiday season ends.

Dental Associates of Connecticut has also teamed with the United States Marine Corps Reserve the program. Collection boxes have been in all five of its locations in Connecticut, including 11 Church Hill Road.

There is still time to drop of an unwrapped toy at any of the 14 branches of Newtown Savings Bank branches.

“Toys for Tots provides joy and a message of hope to less fortunate children through the gift of a new toy or book during the holiday season,” said Tanya Wulff Truax, VP of marketing and public relations for the financial institution. There are two NSB locations in Newtown, the main office at 39 Main Street and another office in Sand Hill Plaza, 228 South Main Street.

Panera Bread in Sand Hill Plaza (203-426-3977) has a box set up.

“It’s been a little slow, but we have about a half-dozen items in the box right now,” said John Johnson, the general manager for the Main Street South bakery-café. “Usually those collections tend to pick up closer to the holidays, though.”

And once again, Prudential Connecticut Realty, at 33 Church Hill Road, is also collecting for the Marines.

The Marine Toys For Tots Foundation, an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) not-for-profit public charity, is the fundraising, funding, and support organization for the US Marine Corps Reserve Toys For Tots Program. The foundation has supported Toys For Tots since 1991.

The mission of the program is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.

In addition to dropping off toys and/or books in the locations mentioned above, secure online financial online donations are also possible. Visit ridgefield-ct.ToysForTots.org, which is the local coordinator location site, and then click on the Donate Online button on the right side of the page.

Mr O’Keefe can be reached by calling 203-438-4333 or sending an e-mail to mclridgefield@aol.com.