Toys For Tots Kicks Off Tomorrow

Santa will take to the sky in a Coast Guard helicopter for the start of the Northwest Michigan Toys for Tots campaign.  A kick off event will be held Saturday at the Great Wolf Lodge with Santa flying in shortly after noon. 

Toys for Tots organizers expect another year of heavy toy requests from area family service agencies.  Last year the campaign collected a record 23,000 toys that were distributed to more than 7,000 children in the five counties that surround Grand Traverse County.  The Northwest Toys for Tots program also collaborates with other northern Michigan counties to assure that no child in the region goes without toys at Christmas.

“We see such an outpouring of support from this community for families in need at Christmas,” says local Toys for Tots coordinator, Maggie Kent.  “Every year we see people and local businesses exceed our expectations and make Christmas a very special time.  But this year we have our work cut out for us.”

The kick off event will begin at noon and will feature children’s activities, refreshments, tours of the Coast Guard helicopter, police and fire displays and a chance to visit with Santa.  The event will conclude at 2 p.m. when Santa will fly off with the Coast Guard.

While the event is free, participants are encouraged to bring a new unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots.  Those making a donation will be eligible to enter to win a variety of door prizes from Great Wolf Lodge, Bill Marsh Auto, Fox Grand Traverse and other corporate sponsors.

Radio stations WKLT, The Fox, YOU FM-WSRT and WLDR will be at the event along with personalities from TV 7&4 and TV 29 & 8.

Toys For Tots will run through Saturday, December 17^th.  Drop off sites are set up in over 100 locations.  The toys are distributed through family service agencies including the Father Fred Foundation, Salvation Army and the Goodwill Inn.

Local corporate sponsors include Meijer, Great Wolf Lodge, Bill Marsh Auto, Fox Motors, BATA, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, JenTees, G.T. Packaging & Janitorial, Sara Lee, TV 7&4, TV 29&8, radio stations WKLT, WSRT, The Fox and WLDR, and Traverse City Record-Eagle.

More information, including a full list of agencies and all drop-off locations, is available by calling (231) 933-0344 or at www.ToysForTots.org.