Marines, volunteers collect over 22,000 toys for Toys for Tots program
A group of active and retired marines and other volunteers gathered at Center Township's Clearview Mall Friday in an effort to ensure that less fortunate children from the area have a happy holiday.
This year, a Toys for Tots program operated by Gunnery Sgt. Chad Krumpe and his stepmother, Michelle Krumpe, has collected approximately 22,000 gifts of various sizes — from bicycles and Teddy bears to Barbie dolls and action figures — that were handed out on Wednesday through Friday.
On Friday, parents of children, from infants to age 15, dropped by for the final day of the Toys for Tots program. Chad Krumpe said that this year's gift drive was different — in previous years, shopping bags would be filled with one large, one medium and one small toy as well as a puzzle, stuffed animal and stocking stuffer, whereas this year parents are able to personally pick out items.
“It's been an avalanche of toys,” Krumpe said. “We had to buy $8,000 worth just today.”
This is an excerpt — read the full story in Sunday's Butler Eagle.
