Toys for Tots trucks at Theisen’s Saturday

By Thomas Nelson, tnelson@charlescitypress.com

Toys for Tots is collecting toys and will have a truck loading 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Theisen’s.

The Marine Corps League Detachment 859 will be there to collect toys with two trucks donated for use by Molstead Motors.

The league will be collecting new and unwrapped toys to be distributed to children around Floyd County. Membershey will also accept cash to buy toys.

Theisen’s is going to provide the space to park the trucks, said Dale Stern, a Marine Corps League member, “and then we want the public to fill them.”

There will be a banner at Theisen’s asking people to “stuff a truck.”

The Marine Corps League is working with the Floyd County Veterans Affairs Office and the Mason City Salvation Army.

Last year Toys for Tots served approximately 500 children in Floyd County.

That number is increasing every year, Stern said.

“If it wasn’t for Toys for Tots there could be a child waking in the morning (on Christmas) without a toy, and the Marine Corps will not allow that,” said Jim Marlow, a Marine Corps League member.

Toys for Tots began more than 60 years ago.

“When Dale first started in Floyd County he had the North Cedar Terrace community room with two tables,” Marlow said. Since then the Toys for Tots program in Charles City has expanded exponentially.

There have been about three to four generations of families that have benefited from the Toys for Tots program, Marlow said.

“Toys for Tots isn’t just for Christmas,” Marlow said. It also goes to benefit children from families that have lost homes as a result of fires or other natural disasters.

“If there’s a family that’s in need due a disaster, a flood, tornado or fire, we still help them,” Stern said.

The Marine Corps League and Marine Corps Reserve have led the efforts behind Toys for Tots.

Children can be signed up to receive toys from Toys for Tots at these times and locations:

• Charles City — 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 27, or 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 28, or 1-4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 29, at the NIACC Center, 200 Harwood Drive.

• Nora Springs — 6-8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 27, at the Nora Springs City Hall.

• Rockford — 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 28, at Rockford City Hall.

• Marble Rock — 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 29, at the Marble Rock library.

• Rural residents of Floyd County can go to any of the four sign-up locations.

The toys will be distributed on Dec. 13, Dec. 14 and Dec. 15.