Toys for Tots: Annual giving event marks 10th anniversary
The season of giving is a very special time of the year.
Giving back to children who struggle to find toys under their Christmas tree is something Chuck Swidzinski and his team have made possible through their annual Toys for Tots drive.
“It's really heartwarming to see the people of Butler helping the less fortunate people of this area,” Swidzinski said. “You know you're going to have a kid wake up Christmas morning and have gifts that probably wasn't going to get anything and it wouldn't be for the Marines and Toys for Tots doing this.”
This year marks the 10th year Swidzinski, a sales associate and team leader at Berkshire Hathaway, has organized a Toys for Tots drive with his team.
The event is set for 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 2 at The Brick House on Main Street in Butler and it is open to the public.
“I provide the food and one free drink ticket,” Swidzinski said. “I ask everyone to bring in one unwrapped toy. We will have Santas, the Grinch and the Marines, of course.
“We put the toys underneath the Christmas tree. We normally get around 1,500 toys. We just make it a fun evening.”
Swidzinski and his team will be putting on extra fundraisers, including a new raffle called Stock the Bar.
“Our team and others are donating bottles,” Swidzinski said. “People will put in a donation and then will be put into a drawing, and whoever wins gets all the alcohol that was donated.”
A large turnout is expected by Swidzinski and his team, especially compared to last year with social gathering restrictions.
“We had only about 300 to 400 people for last year's event because of the pandemic,” Swidzinski said. “It was a drive-by outside for those who didn't want to come in.
“This year it seems everyone is ready to get back into the holiday spirit and not have to social distance. I can't predict it but I expect close to 1,000 people to show up.”
Putting on such a big event can produce some challenges, but it's nothing Swidzinski and his team hasn't faced before.
“People in Butler are very giving,” Swidzinski said. “A lot of local businesses donate money for the food. This is our 10th year and it has just grown. I mean the first year we did it we only had about 200 toys.”
The local veterans association also plays a big role in the event with a large donation of toys through programs they run.
“The veterans throughout the year get what are called 'canteen bucks' from activities they do at the VA,” Swidzinski said. “These veterans all save up and they give us toys, and before we go in, we have a ceremony with them.
“Mary Ann Capuzzi with the VA said she already has up to 800 to 1,000 toys for us already.”
The event itself obviously helps collect all the toys, but what is even more special, Swidzinski said, is when he and others get to give the toys away to the children of Butler.
“We also accept money donations, as well,” Swidzinski said. “The week after, we go shop for more toys and then we distribute them with the Marines at the Clearview Mall.
“It's really heartwarming when the parents and kids are coming in to get the toys,” he said “They put them in age groups throughout the place, and then the parents have vouchers, and then they get a garbage bag, and then they get so many toys for each child.”
Swidzinski says the event is a lot of work, but it's something he loves to do and has no plans of stopping anytime soon.
“We never thought it would get this big,” Swidzinski said. “We have so much support from the community and it's us giving back to the community because that's where we make our living.”
