Veterans buy presents to help children in need
BUTLER TWP — Veterans living in VA Butler Healthcare's Community Living Center spent their “patriot dollars” on toys and gifts to make Christmas special for children of needy families.
The 60 veterans living in the VA nursing home spent their “dollars,” which are coupons for the VA's PX or “patriot store” that they receive as donations from service organizations, on about 100 toys that they handed off Thursday to a team of local real estate agents who will include them in their donation to Toys for Tots in Butler County.
The boxes of toys were gathered by Berkshire Hathaway real estate agent Chuck Swidzinski's team of six agents. The group also collected toys at its annual holiday gathering in Butler later that night.
VA resident Daryl Lee, who served in the Marines from 1976 to 1991 including a tour in the Gulf War, said he is happy to share what he has with children.
“It's good to give back,” Lee said. “I've got a lot.”
Keeping up with youths' changing tastes is difficult so Lee said he asked members of the VA staff who have children to pick toys that kids like.
“I've always been taught to give back. Besides Christmas is about the kids,” Lee said.
Army veteran John Kozlosky, 98, who walked from Normandy, France, to Germany in World War II and was a prisoner of war, said some parents can't afford to buy Christmas gifts for their children.
“It's something nice to do for the youngsters. Some of the parents aren't working. They can use some help,” he said.
About 2,100 children up to age 15 from Butler and Clarion counties registered to receive gifts from Toys for Tots, said Marine Gunnery Sgt. Chad Krumpe, the Toys for Tots coordinator for Butler County.
Those who registered can pick up their gifts from the Toys for Tots distribution center at the Clearview Mall Dec. 12, 13 and 14.
This marks the third year the veterans at the VA have helped Swidzinski and his team collect toys for Toys for Tots. Swidzinski's team has been collecting toys for the program for seven years.
“After this year we will have donated over 10,000 toys,” said Jared Sullivan, a real estate agent on Swidzinski's team.
“Me and Jared started this in 2012,” Swidzinski said. “We were looking to do something to give back to the community.”
Sullivan said he expected 500 to 700 toys to be donated at the team's gathering the Brick House restaurant in downtown Butler.
“They help us out tremendously,” Krumpe said about the real estate agents.
The team collected about 400 toys the first year the toy drive was held and they collected 1,700 toys last year in their effort to help the community in which they make their livings.
“The reason we all have jobs is the community,” Sullivan said.
