Dear Editor,

It seems when times get hard people will dig deeper for a good cause. Children and Christmas are very dear to a lot of people, especially if you have children. During that time of the year, if you hear a child may not get anything for Christmas, people in general dig deeper.

The U.S. Marine Corps Reserves started this project in 1947. We collect new and unwrapped toys. It only works if you have a Marine Corps League in your county.

Richmond County is one of these counties.

Detachment 1252 has worked very hard since our unit started four years ago. As bad as the economy is in our county, Toys for Tots had a good year. I had people stop me on the street to give me money. I didn’t even know some of these people. There was so many people and organizations that helped us, I can’t begin to call their names.

I, personally, want to thank you all, as well as Detachment 1252 for all of you help during the 2009 season.

We gave 3,500 toys to 1,128 children in Richmond County this past Christmas. Part of their toys came from the Toys for Tots Foundation. Across the country, 17.5 million toys were given to 6.9 million children. We are getting ready for 2010 already, and we will need your help again. Our need is greater every year.

If you want to make a donation, and you want it to stay in Richmond County, send it to me at Toys for Tots Foundation, 1121 Rice St. Hamlet, NC 28345. It’s important that the money and toys we raise stay in Richmond County. Our community is one of the most counties I’ve ever seen.

Benny Leviner

Toys for Tots Coordinator

Hamlet