Mark Millican
Toys for Tots, the effort by Marine Corps Reserve units throughout the United States to provide new toys for needy children at Christmastime, is under way in Whitfield, Murray and Catoosa counties.
“We had a very successful Toys for Tots campaign last year, and believe we’ll be able to collect even more toys for underprivileged children this year,” said David Joyner, a member of the Marine Corps League Detachment No. 1309 in Dalton. The local detachment falls under the auspices of the Marine Reserve unit in Chattanooga in regard to Toys for Tots.
Toys for Tots works closely with the United Way of Northwest Georgia and local school systems to find kids in need who might not otherwise receive toys.
“A sign-up sheet is distributed to families, and they write down how many children are in the home and their ages,” said Joyner. “We try to see that each family gets two to three toys per child, depending on the overall response we get. But we never see the names of the families.”
Toys for Tots drop-off boxes are throughout the three-county area. The Marines ask that only new, unwrapped toys be dropped off.
“The primary goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver, through a new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to less fortunate youngsters that will assist them in becoming responsible, productive and patriotic citizens,” says the Toys for Tots Web site (www.toysfortots.org).
Drop-off sites in Dalton include The Daily Citizen, 308 S. Thornton Ave.; Dalton Depot Restaurant, 110 Depot St.; Mountain Creek Harley-Davidson, 1001 Market St.; Kroger, 1365 W. Walnut Ave.; Kroger, 1205 Cleveland Highway; Walgreen’s, 1247 W. Walnut Ave.; and Walgreen’s, 2225 E. Walnut Ave.
Chatsworth box sites include First National Bank of Chatsworth, 701 N. Third Ave.; First National Bank of Chatsworth/Eton branch, 3400 Highway 411 N.; John Kenemer’s State Farm, 500 S. Third Ave., Suite C; Corner Drugs, 430 N. Third Ave.; Fred’s Dollar Store, 1009 N. Third Ave.; and Shotsy’s Gas and Gossip, 2667 Old Highway 411 S.
In Varnell, toys may be dropped off at Suttons Pharmacy, 3957 Cleveland Road; Varnell United Methodist Church, 250 Highway 2; Tenchi Family Karate, 3975 Ruby Drive; North Whitfield Middle School, 3264 Cleveland Highway; and Ken’s Body Works , 3518 Cleveland Highway.
Catoosa County sites include Walgreen’s, 5075 Alabama Highway, Ringgold; Walgreen’s, 3625 Battlefield Parkway, Fort Oglethorpe; and Walgreen’s, 1228 Battlefield Parkway, Fort Oglethorpe.
