Santa Claus will come earlier than Dec. 25. The Marine Corps Reserve Toys For Tots will have their annual drive on Oct. 22 Applications can be picked up at the Richmond County Department of Social Services through case workers or by asking for Lee Anne Sago, Linda Collins or Linda Taylor.

The toys will be given out Oct. 25-29, Nov. 15-19 and Dec. 13.

Benny Leviner, Marine Corps coordinator, says that on Oct. 15, 10 stores will sell trains for $1 and the proceeds will go to Richmond County Toys for Tots.

“The Marine Corps League has been in Richmond County for four years and it gets better,” he said.

According to Leviner 96 to 97 cents of every dollar that comes into the organization is spent on toys.

“A lot of times these will be the only toys that some children will get. I get a warm feeling that the Marine Corps is spreading all of this joy through the county,” he said.

The applications are for children from six months of age to age 12.

Overall, the program has provided 386 million toys since its beginning in 1947.

Sago said that DSS is proud to be able to partner with the Marines and the Toys for Tots program.

Leviner says that the toys are bought from local vendors and stay within the county.

“We gave 3,500 toys to 1,128 children in Richmond County last year,” Leviner said. “Across the country, 17.5 million toys were given to 6.9 million children. Our need is greater every year.”

Bill Rohleder of the Marine Corps says that boxes will be set up at more than 40 stores, local churches and military organizations on Nov. 1.

“This is my favorite campaign of the year,” he said. “We are all faith based and realize that it’s not our own work we are doing; it’s God’s work.”

DSS will have Santa Claus in the building on Nov. 17 and Dec. 15.

“We have worked with the Marine Corps for about five years and each year it’s a delight,” Sago said. “They go out of their way to make sure that the needs are met.”

“Every child deserves a little Christmas and we make sure they get it,” Rohleder said.

For more information on the program contact Leviner at (910) 582-8202. To make donations, go to toysfortots.org and select Richmond County.

Staff Writer Hollie Nivens can be reached at (910) 997-3111 ext. 19 or by e-mail at hnivens@yourdailyjournal.com