MARINES COLLECT TOYS AT TARTAGLIONE DISTRICT OFFICE

HARRISBURG, DEC. 19, 2007 – Three large boxes of new toys were picked up by a pair of U.S. Marines yesterday at state Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione’s Susquehanna Street District Office.

     The toys were donated by Tartaglione’s constituents as part of the Marines’ annual “Toys for Tots” campaign. 

     “I’m so proud to be working with the Marines to help bring smiles to the less fortunate,” Tartaglione said. “I’m always confident in the generous spirit of the people of this community and they came through again.”

     The district office pick-up was one of more than 40 stops made by Lance Cpl. Robert Groover and Sgt. Tyrel Schodowski, who delivered the toys to the 3^rd Battalion, 14^th Marines headquarters in Northeast Philadelphia.

     Tartaglione has made an annual tradition of hosting drop-off locations and the response, she said, has been humbling.

     “We see people who could probably use some help going out of the way to help others,” she said. “It’s not just about the toys but the reminder that everyone has something to be thankful for and a way to share with others.”

     The mission of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community.

The Toys for Tots program began in 1947 in Los Angeles and expanded nationwide in 1948. Since 1947, more than 370 million toys have been collected and distributed to 173 million needy children at Christmas.

Editor’s  Note – High resolution photographs available.