thedrifter
09-25-07, 07:22 PM
Toys for Tots: Recalled toys to be sorted out
By Michael Hoffman - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Sep 25, 2007 17:02:47 EDT
Marine Toys for Tots Foundation officials say they are confident unsafe toys will be filtered out of its donations and not accidentally given to children this holiday season, even after a string of recalls by major toy companies such as Mattel and its Fisher-Price subsidiary.
Since the toy recalls — made due to the presence of lead paint or small pieces that pose a choking hazard — occurred months before most donations are made, the dangerous toys will have been taken off store shelves and the foundation will have plenty of time to sift through the donations, said Bill Grein, Toys for Tots’ vice president of marketing and development.
“We feel fortunate this didn’t come up in November,” he said. “That would have made things a lot more troublesome.”
However, a corporate donation in August included recalled toys, Grein said. The Marine units that received the toys for distribution have been identified, and volunteers are separating the dangerous ones from the safe ones, he said.
Volunteers handle about 20 million toys each holiday season. Grein said that — just like every year — the foundation is looking for as many volunteers as possible, and he’s just as worried about having enough workers on hand to handle an increasing number of donated toys as he is about picking out recalled items.
Toys for Tots will celebrate its 60th anniversary Oct. 7 with an event at Quantico, Va., along with Tonka toy company, which is also commemorating its 60th birthday. Country singer Billy Ray Cyrus will perform; a real dump truck painted to resemble a Tonka toy will also be there.
Ellie
By Michael Hoffman - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Sep 25, 2007 17:02:47 EDT
Marine Toys for Tots Foundation officials say they are confident unsafe toys will be filtered out of its donations and not accidentally given to children this holiday season, even after a string of recalls by major toy companies such as Mattel and its Fisher-Price subsidiary.
Since the toy recalls — made due to the presence of lead paint or small pieces that pose a choking hazard — occurred months before most donations are made, the dangerous toys will have been taken off store shelves and the foundation will have plenty of time to sift through the donations, said Bill Grein, Toys for Tots’ vice president of marketing and development.
“We feel fortunate this didn’t come up in November,” he said. “That would have made things a lot more troublesome.”
However, a corporate donation in August included recalled toys, Grein said. The Marine units that received the toys for distribution have been identified, and volunteers are separating the dangerous ones from the safe ones, he said.
Volunteers handle about 20 million toys each holiday season. Grein said that — just like every year — the foundation is looking for as many volunteers as possible, and he’s just as worried about having enough workers on hand to handle an increasing number of donated toys as he is about picking out recalled items.
Toys for Tots will celebrate its 60th anniversary Oct. 7 with an event at Quantico, Va., along with Tonka toy company, which is also commemorating its 60th birthday. Country singer Billy Ray Cyrus will perform; a real dump truck painted to resemble a Tonka toy will also be there.
Ellie