By CINDY PIERSON
The Cambria American Legion Family is proud to support the US Marine Corps Toys for Tots campaign. This year, the holiday wishes of 216 local children from Cambria and San Simeon were fulfilled. The Legion Family wants to extend heartfelt gratitude to the community for the generous donations of toys and cash, which were used to purchase additional gifts.
The toy collection efforts begin in mid-November, with donation boxes and cash collection boxes placed around the community. Children and their parents’ complete applications, and then volunteers spring into action, ensuring that there are toys for every age group and gender. Over the years, even big-ticket items like bicycles, skateboards, and scooters, along with necessary safety equipment have been fulfilled. Many of these wishes are provided through the generosity of local residents who donate toys, our local dentist who provides bicycles, and the cash donations received, which go directly to purchasing toys from children’s wish lists.
The magic truly happens on the second weekend in December. On this day, volunteers sort the toys, shop for the children, and organize them into family bags for pickup—all in one day. “We are a well-oiled machine; it gets better every year,” said one of the volunteer shoppers. Thanks to the support of this community, the Legion Family ensures that all the donated and purchased toys are distributed so that each child can receive more than just one gift.
