Toys for Tots in dire need of help

The Pappy Boyington Detachment of the Marine Corps League is in dire need of your help for our Toys for Tots Program (T4T). Donations of funds and toys are needed ASAP. We’re kick-starting our campaign today and need $$ and toys to do it. The amount of donations have not come in over the last few years as in the past, and henceforth our funds and toy inventory have been depleted.

Since 1947, across the nation, the T4Ts program has distributed 566 million toys and 258 million children have been supported. On a national level, 96.7% of every dollar donated goes to the program, 2.8% goes to fundraising and 0.5% to overhead.

On a local level, I believe our fundraising and overhead costs are even lower. Not one dollar that is donated goes to salaries or any other manpower staffing cost. The members of the Marine Corps League donate their money and volunteer time and labor working long hours to provide toys and other gifts to needy children in Kootenai County.

In 1990, my family and I were fortunate to move to this city. Being in the military, we have lived many places both overseas and in the U.S. We have found this area to be the most caring and giving community anywhere!

I have watched with amazement, local businesses and families reaching out and contributing to Press Christmas for All and many other charitable causes. The Pappy Boyington Marine Corps League is hoping to reach out and touch the heart and purses of the same people.

In 2016 alone, T4Ts distributed over 10,000 toys, including 5,800 books and almost 4,000 stocking stuffers to 1,959 struggling families in Kootenai County so they could provide a magical Christmas for their little ones. Please help us to do it this year!

We will be distributing donation boxes in businesses soon. Financial donations may be sent to Marine Corps League 966, Box 261, Hayden, ID 83835. Questions may be directed to Darrel Mayer, 208-661-1005, or Mike Quinn, 801-808-0343.

•••

Ben Rutherford is with Pappy Boyington Detachment 966 in Hayden.