John Van Houten, Maricopa County Toys for Tots chairperson for the past five years, carries an emptied toy box back to the delivery truck.
Denise Lott
The Marine Corps League, Detachment 1296, wanted to be sure that children in the area had a happy holiday memory. On December 24, the pickup trucks of several unit members were loaded with some of the remaining Toys for Tots gifts. Going into three Chandler low-income housing areas, tarps were spread out on the ground and boxes of toys unloaded. With about 25 Marines and families to assist, the children lined up and selected a few age-appropriate toys for themselves. It was a pleasure to feel the excitement and see the big grins on the faces of the youngsters.
In addition, several of our Marines and associate members gladly accepted the invitation to help with some Marine families. These were families of 100 percent disabled, medically retired Marines who are just transitioning to civilian life. Taking each child’s wish list, gifts were selected, wrapped and delivered to each home before Christmas Day. For us, it was a small way to give back in the spirit of the holiday compared with the many sacrifices our Marines and their families have made on our behalf. v=