Original article published in the Mower County Independent, Thursday, November 14, 2024. Reprinted with permission and gratitude.
By Gretchen Mensink Lovejoy
Skinny though he may be, Santa’s real name is Mark.
At least in Spring Valley, of course…beyond, it’s “Yes, sir,”
“On December 7, we have a toy drop-off drive-through at the Dollar General from 9:00 to 1:00. It’s something that we started last year,” shared Spring Valley Toys for Tots coordinator Mark Cummings, anticipating standing outside the local dollar store to watch motorists drive up to donate toys to the United States Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program, an initiative in which Cummings firmly believes, even more than he believes in Santa himself, because he agrees wholeheartedly with the project’s motto that “Every Child Deserves a Little Christ mas.”
The Toys for Tots website outlined the official Toys for Tots Foundation mission, stating, “The mission of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is to assist the U.S. Marine Corps in providing a tangible sign of hope to economically disadvantaged children at Christmas. This assistance includes providing day-to-day leadership and oversight of the program, raising funds to provide toys to supplement the collections of local Toys for Tots chapters….”
Overseen by reserve members of the Marines — putting officers of all ranks in charge of collection and distribution of donated toys, the program allows for collection and distribution of toys to children who may otherwise not receive any thing for Christmas, even as they watch the skies for Santa’s sleigh. The regional chapters of Toys for Tots delegate to community coordinators such as Cummings, who enthusiastically take up the work of placing collection boxes in stores, banks, restaurants and more for generous hearts to fill them with new, unwrapped toys for children zero to 18 years of age. The Rochester chapter in 2023 collected 32,785 toys distributed to support the wishes of 9,742 children – numbers that make Cummings’ cheeks feel rosy. “Kids that are under public assistance usually don’t get too many toys, if any, and this gives them something to open at Christmas. Last year went real good, and we’re hoping to do good this year, too.”
Cummings pointed out that area communities such as Spring Valley and Lanesboro hold their own toy drives and are then able to distribute according to specific needs. If there is a shortage of toys, he and Toys for Tots volunteers spend donated funds to meet the needs by shopping locally. He listed that collection boxes are stationed in Spring Valley at Dollar General, Racks, First National Bank, Pizza Place and more, and in Preston, at POET Biorefining. “What we collect in Spring Valley, we usually keep in Spring Valley. We collect only toys – no clothes – and people don’t have to buy the big, expensive games that kids want us to buy, because the limit is about $35 per kid. We usually run short of things for the kids 13 to 18 years old and for the little characters… the babies and toddlers.”
The twinkle in Cummings’ eye grows brighter as the calendar advances and Christmas approaches because it’s his chance to give back to the community and witness good will as friends and neighbors take time to remember the children whose stockings and Christmas trees may do well to have a hand from elves in dis guise as people who simply care for others, that they can have the merriest of Christ mases.
For more information, log onto the Southeastern Minnesota Toys for Tots website at https://rochester-mn.toysfor tots.org/, or log onto Facebook at Semntoysfortots. First Sgt. Vince Reynolds is the local campaign coordinator in Rochester. To contact Rochester’s Toys for Tots, email rochester.mn@toysfortots.org, or call 507-251-5085.
Courtesy of the Mower County Independent, 135 E Main St. LeRoy, MN 55951, (507)-324-5325
