Realtors, community team up in Toys for Tots drive
A communitywide effort culminated in a tower of toys Thursday night at The Brick House.
Maryann Dellich of Butler was visiting the business for the first time but took a moment to examine the mountain of toys, which included princess dolls, board games and even a bike, among many other types of toys.
“It's wonderful,” Dellich said. “They say times are hard, but I don't believe it when I see things like that.”
The county's Toys for Tots program has helped provide gifts to more than 2,200 kids per year.
The Chuck Swidzinski Team of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices hosted the evening, partnering with both the VA Butler Healthcare, which donated five Toys for Tots boxes, and the county's Marine Corps office, which will store and distribute the toys.
“We get at least over 500 people here in one night, and they're all here to give,” Swidzinski said. “We're very blessed to be a part of this community, and that's where we make our living.”
The day started at the VA, where the Realtor team stopped to collect the toys gathered by veterans.
Maryann Capuzzi, a recreation therapist with VA Butler Healthcare, said veterans spent more than $1,000 in Patriot dollars on the toys.
Veterans in the Community Living Center earn Patriot dollars and canteen books with which they use to purchase the toys.
“The canteen books they get at the activities are donated through the different service organizations we deal with — the VFWs, the American Legions, the Elks clubs and the Moose clubs,” Capuzzi said. “They're just little coupon books worth $1, and that's what they do with them.”
Capuzzi said veterans take donating toys to children seriously. She said most get excited about the program in October.
“They look forward to it. They really enjoy it,” she said. “All they're thinking about is making sure the kids have gifts and that they have a happy and merry Christmas. Just giving back to them.”
The toys then head to the party venue, which this year was The Brick House on Main Street, where community members add to the pile.
Paula Helms of West Sunbury said she donated some board games. She said she appreciates the ability to donate toys to those in need, and she is happy that most of the toys will go to local children.
“It's my favorite event every year,” she said.
Leon King of Slippery Rock said he came with his girlfriend and her friend. He said they brought a couple of gifts in bags.He said there always are opportunities to help people, and he was glad to be a part of this one.“Human nature says to give and offer people a helping hand,” King said.Jared Sullivan, a member of the Swidzinski Team, came up with the idea for the local drive, now in its eighth year.“It feels like it kicks off the holiday season because people look forward to this,” Sullivan said. “A couple months in advance, they ask us about it.”In addition to organizing the event, Swidzinski's Team provided food and a free drink to those who donated.“All these people in the community come together to help the less fortunate, which I feel we should,” Swidzinski said.Gunnery Sgt. Chad Krumpe of the U.S. Marine Corps office in Butler was there to help Thursday night.“From here, at the end of the night, everything they collect tonight, we'll load up in this U-Haul,” Krumpe said pointing outside. “Our warehouse is up in the Clearview Mall, so we'll take them up there tonight.”Krumpe said they will have a work day on Saturday to sort what they have, and the rest of the collection sites around the county will be picked up Monday morning.“This thing is huge for us. It's one of our biggest toy drives,” Krumpe said. “The volunteers are the ones that put in all the work. The toys are all raised here, so the community itself is what creates this and what drives it. If we didn't have people like Chuck Swidzinski's team, we'd be clawing from other counties to help support us.”
