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thedrifter
12-19-06, 08:32 AM
December 19, 2006

Marine elves sort toys

By PATRICK CASSIDY
STAFF WRITER
SOUTH YARMOUTH - From a school bus stuffed with toys in Hyannis to firemen sleeping outside for more than 100 hours in Bourne, the drive to bring Christmas to those in need on the Cape continues.

These activities and others are contributing to the annual Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots campaign, which collects new and unwrapped toys in approximately 130 drop-off locations across the Cape and Islands.

''Overall and everything we've seen, it's just been outstanding,'' said the program's area coordinator, Marine Sgt. Timothy Harrington.

Harrington, 46, of Dennis, credits the program's success to the generosity of individuals and says the Marines who provide the muscle and organization are only a vehicle.

''This directly reflects your communities,'' he said.

At the Gull Wing Suites Hotel on Route 28 in South Yarmouth, approximately 10,000 donated toys were sorted yesterday by a cadre of Marines and other volunteers for distribution to organizations around the Cape who help match toy to tot.

And it's not just toys that make the holidays merry.

Harrington said he was in a house yesterday where a single mother and her 13-year-old son didn't have anything for Christmas.

Today a group of Marines will be dropping off a tree and toys for the family, he said.

''We're making sure those families don't fall through the cracks and that their families get Christmas,'' Harrington said.

Toys can be dropped off at any official Toys for Tots drop box.

Locations include the Mashpee Post Office on Route 151 in Mashpee, Pike Insurance on Main Street in Orleans, Harwich Food Pantry on Queen Anne Road in Harwich and Toys 'R' Us on Route 132 in Hyannis.

Last year, Toys for Tots collected 38,000 items on the Cape and Islands, and although this year has been slower, this past weekend helped put it on track to close in on that record, Harrington said.

''We work hard and we feel good about it, but without the community there would be no Toys for Tots,'' he said.

Patrick Cassidy can be reached at pcassidy@capecodonline.com.

(Published: December 19, 2006)

Ellie