Toys For Tots Tradition Continues With Local Generosity

By VERNON ROBISON

Moapa Valley Progress

The fires of tradition are still burning brightly this year in northeastern Clark County for the Marine Corps Toys for Tots program. And hundreds of area kids will find presents under their Christmas tree because of it. This week nearly 400 families in both Moapa and Virgin Valleys will be receiving help from the Toys for Tots program.

The last toys were collected for the program on Dec. 8. from several different collection boxes in the two valleys. The toys headed for the homes of Virgin Valley children were taken to Virgin Valley Family Resource Center and the Salvation Army to be distributed in that community. The rest went to the Overton Post Home of the local VFW organization where volunteers will distribute them to Moapa Valley families.

As well organized as this year’s effort has been, one would never suspect that, after last Christmas, the future of local management of the program was uncertain. Last year, previous Toys for Tots coordinator Kathy Hollinger announced that it would be her last year on the project. With no one stepping immediately forward to take the helm, it was feared that its management would have to pass to the regional Toys for Tots organization in Las Vegas.

It wasn’t long, though, before Moapa Valley resident Brenda Slocumb agreed to take over the job.
“I saw the request go out last year for someone to take over the project after Kathy but initially I just didn’t think I had time,” Slocumb said in a recent interview with the PROGRESS. “But both of my parents were in the military and I did a lot of volunteering growing up. I finally decided this was a good way for me to give back to the community.”

Slocumb said that taking over the project has entailed a steep learning curve. Early this year, she travelled to Virginia to participate in a full training course for Toys for Tots administrators. Other than that it has entailed a lot of work to keep things organized.

Hollinger had agreed to stay involved and preparing some of the written reports and paperwork required by the organization. Slocumb said that has been a big help. Slocumb also praised the many volunteers that have helped throughout the season.

Finally, she appreciated the generosity of both communities in donating toys at the drop boxes. The busiest collection locations were at Sun City in Mesquite and at Lin’s Market in Overton, she said.
“We just collected boxes after boxes full of toys that people had donated,” Slocumb said.
One one occasion, when Slocumb was picking up toys at Lin’s she reported emptying the box that had been filled to the top with toys. She turned to leave and the Lin’s employees stopped her and told her she wasn’t finished.
“They went upstairs to the store’s office where there was another five trashbags filled with toys that had been collected,” Slocumb said. “People have been so generous.”

In addition, local organizations have made monetary donations to the program so that additional toys could be purchased.

One of those was the Moapa Valley Rotary Club. On Wednesday, Dec. 13 local Rotarian Dennis Anderson presented more than $300 to Slocumb for use in the Toys for Tots program. About half of that came from a donation box that the Rotary club had placed at the counter of Wesley’s convenience store. The other half was a donation directly from the Rotary Club.
“We are glad to help in great causes like this one,” Anderson said.