Editor:
The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and the Marine Corps League Leland D. “Crow” Crawford Detachment 956 of Elkins completed their 14th annual Toys for Tots distribution in the Elkins region. The mission of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program is to provide joy and hope to the underprivileged children of our nation. The goal was to help needy children believe that someone cares, that they haven’t been forgotten and that the magic of the Christmas season hasn’t passed them by.
The Elkins Marine Corps League collected and purchased over 14,000 toys, books and stuffed animals in Randolph and several other North-central West Virginia counties during the campaign. The Elkins area Marine Corps League members distributed these toys to 1,003 families with a total of 2,014 children in Randolph, Barbour, Lewis, Tucker and Upshur counties and areas in Greenbrier, Pocahontas and Webster counties.
This program was a huge success due to the support, enthusiasm, generous donations and sponsorship of the following organizations and businesses: Elkins Dollar General stores; Dollar General stores in Beverly, Buckhannon, Weston, Jane Lew, Belington and Philippi; Elkins CVS; Aaron’s Sales and Lease Ownership; Walgreen’s Drug Store in Elkins; Pack ’N Ship in Elkins; Bill Umbright at State Farm; Jodie Parrack at State Farm; All State Insurance; Skinner Insurance; Elkins Purple Majesties – Red Hat Society; Catholic Charities West Virginia; Landmark Baptist Church; Refuge Church; Applebee’s of Elkins; Randolph County Senior Center; Youth Health Services of Elkins; Smitty’s Suzuki of Buckhannon; Larry Brown of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3663 of Buckhannon; Fisher Auto Parts in Buckhannon; Farm Credit & Country Mortgages in Mt. Clare; Buckhannon Wing Company LLC; Toys R Us in Bridgeport; Wireless Zone in Meadowbrook Mall; John Bowers in Parsons; H & M Motor Company in Weston; Kiddy Monument in Weston; Buckhannon Academy; Robert L. Bland Middle School in Weston; and Debbie Larkin and Davis & Elkins College Student Veterans Association.
The Elkins-Randolph County Airport Authority and Dick Chaney deserve a generous “thank you” for allowing storage of these toys, serving as a distribution point and for constantly keeping the road and parking lot safe. The Inter-Mountain is thanked and commended for continuous advertising and media coverage of selected events.
A special thanks goes to Kendra Wegman and the 326th Quartermaster U.S. Army Reserve Unit, WV Work Force, Randolph and Tucker County Department of Health and Human Resources offices, Papa John’s Pizza of Elkins, Byrd’s House of Donuts, Elkins Walmart, Elkins Kroger, Elkins Kmart, Cheryl Riggleman, Rebecca Channell, Kristie Croston, Harrison Community Church “Wings” Group in Mabie, Jennifer Cook (in memory of Hanna), and Carol Armentrout.
Monetary donations were needed this year to ensure the success of the Toys for Tots Program in Elkins. A heartfelt “thank you” goes to Robert and Elizabeth Bower, Jim and Charlotte Lemons, Mark and Donna Forinash, Cynthia and Ron Bodkin, Joseph and Kathy McMurray, Susan Hinzman, Amanda Reilly, Rhonda Channell, Pete and Anita Tacy, Paul and Hyon Teter, George and Debra Hudak, Carolyn Corley Channell, Tom and Patricia Karlen, Carl New, Kevin Crickard, American Legion Post 29 Ladies Auxiliary, Buckhannon Wing Company LLC, WV Classic Wheels Car Club of Buckhannon, and Betty J. and Paula Konopnicki of Springfield, Va. The following locations are thanked for supporting our campaign with Toys for Tots coin collection boxes: Scottie’s, The Lunch Box, Gino’s Pizza and Spaghetti House, Smoke on the Water Restaurant, Steer Steakhouse, C & J’s Restaurant, Crazy Harry’s, Campbell’s Market, Fast Break in Beverly and Spanky’s in Valley Bend. There are others who deserve thanks but they are too numerous to mention.
A promotional event was held at Toys R Us in Bridgeport. The owners, managers and employees of these businesses are thanked for their support, event advertising and donations. The wonderful customers who visited some of these stores mentioned and donated toys are thanked for their generosity. The consideration and extreme kindness demonstrated by the stores’ employees, managers and owners was contagious and welcomed.
Lastly, thank you to all the schools, churches, support groups and other organizations who worked to help ensure that underprivileged children received gifts for Christmas.
The time, energy and commitment of all the Elkins Marine Corps League members is fully appreciated and they are thanked so much for planning and attending the promotional events, area Christmas parades, placement of toy collection boxes, transporting and sorting all the toys, distribution of toys to the families and for making this project work. Their drive, commitment and support was tremendous.
This annual program was made possible by these Elkins Marine Corps League Detachment 956 members including Harvey and Judy Gum; Ron Bodkin; Greg Irwin; Todd Hess; Tom Domingo; David and Nancy Rice; Roy Wood; Lynn and Sherry Ware; Pete and Anita Tacy; Jack and Donna Marteney; Larry Brown; Harry Allman; and Judith Ware; and volunteers Scottie, Tawnya, Ryan and Tyler Gum, and Jessica Yokum. Roger Ware served as area chairman and Harvey Gum of Valley Bend and Roy Wood of Valley Head served as co-chairmen for Randolph and several counties, and Larry Brown and Jack Marteney of Buckhannon served as co-chairmen for Upshur and Lewis counties. These members are thanked for volunteering over 2,400 community hours and traveling almost 5,900 miles thus ensuring this project was successful for underprivileged children in Randolph and surrounding counties.
