By MAGGIE MCMURRAY
Moapa Valley Progress
Hundreds of Moapa Valley children in need have enjoyed Merry Christmases through the years thanks to the Toys for Tots program and the untiring efforts of its local administrators. However, as of January 2017, the program must find a new area coordinator if it is to continue to serve Moapa Valley children in future years.
Logandale resident Kathy Hollinger has donated her time and efforts in administering the Moapa Valley Toys For Tots program for the past 3 years. Although she has loved working with Toys for Tots, her schedule has become too busy to continue. With her recent appointment as the State Secretary for the VFW Auxiliary Hollinger knows she will not have time for both programs. Thus, she will be stepping down from Toys for Tots after this year’s holiday season.
Unfortunately, this will leave the coordinator position for Moapa Valley and Mesquite Toys for Tots vacant. Unless someone else steps up to fill her shoes, this may be the last year that Toys for Tots will be serving children in northeastern Clark County.
Hollinger said there are certain requirements for the position. The new coordinator must pass a background check provided by Toys for Tots and be willing to receive training for the position.
“The position is not hard, but it can be time consuming at times because records must be kept on so many things,” Hollinger said. “However, they are improving it and it gets easier and easier every year.”
The new coordinator will not have out-of-pocket expenses, however, as the program pays for everything including training and transportation to and from the training.
Hollinger currently oversees both the Moapa Valley and Mesquite programs. Although this does add a little bit of extra work, overall there are benefits. The Moapa Valley program is not self-sustaining and many of the gifts distributed locally come from donors in Mesquite, she said.
Although the Toys for Tots foundation also makes a monetary donation for this area, their standard is two presents per child under age 11 and there is a price cap of $29.99 on those presents.
Hollinger said that this is where local donations really make a difference. People who are donating have no price cap and the donations make it possible in many cases to make sure every child gets 3 gifts plus a stocking stuffer.
“Also, if a family includes children both under and over the age limit, we try really hard not to leave the older children out,” Hollinger said.
Much of the coordinator position consists of collecting the toys, dividing them into age groups and then assigning them to the specific families that have applied for help.
Hollinger said that hundreds of Moapa Valley families in need have benefited from this program. “Every year we serve between 125 to 150 kids across Moapa Valley,” Hollinger said. “When the parents come to pick up the gifts, they are always so grateful. It is very touching and extremely rewarding to be involved with this great program.”
Those interested in helping this great tradition continue in Moapa Valley by stepping up to volunteer for the coordinator position can call Kathy Hollinger at 702-398-3901. A new coordinator needs to be in place by February in order to meet all the organizational and training deadlines for the upcoming year.
Sadly, if no coordinator is found, the program will have to leave the valley.
The Toys For Tots program was founded in 1947 by Marine Corp Reservist Major Bill Hendricks and his wife, Diane, in Los Angeles, California. Last year alone, the program collected and distributed 18 million toys to 7 million less fortunate children in all 50 states.
