thedrifter
12-04-07, 07:22 AM
Boy donates birthday presents to Toys for Tots
'An example for the rest of us'
December 4, 2007
BY KENDRICK MARSHALL kmarshall@scn1.com
All Jack Benoit wants for Christmas are Legos.
While the Oak Grove Elementary School second-grader would not mind unwrapping Spider-Man action figures, a Playstation 2 or other expensive toys come Dec. 25, the Green Oaks resident knows that many kids his age might not get anything at all.
The 9-year-old is planning to donate all of his prized birthday toys to needy Lake County children as part of the Toys for Tots drive.
"I am a generous person," Jack said, and he plans to contribute 40 toys for the collection drive this year. "I think the other kids would need them more than me. Plus, I have a lot of toys already."
His idea to donate his assortment of toys was inspired by a neighbor who raised funds for a pet charity at his birthday party last year.
And since the party was close to Christmas, Jack decided it would be a good gesture to give the toys to needy children.
His mother, Cathleen Dohrn, then called the Marines of Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion in Waukegan and informed them that her son would be donating his toys. Dohrn, however, just did not tell the Marines how many.
"We thought that he would be donating just maybe one or two toys," said Toys for Tots collection assistant Sgt. Natalie Jones. "But he came in with several boxes of toys. We were truly surprised."
Altogether, Jack had donated 43 toys for the drive, a record for someone so young and so giving, Jones said.
This year, the part-time hockey player and Cub Scout recently threw a Marines Corps birthday party Nov. 10 at the Glacier Ice Arena in Vernon Hills where his friends donated 79 toys for the campaign.
As a reward for his outstanding collection efforts, Jack and his friends were treated to a Toys for Tots event Saturday at the Marines Weapons Company, where they participated in toy sorting, camouflage painting, physical exercise and weapons safety.
"Jack is an example for the rest of the community that there are small miracles during the holiday season," Jones said. "He is a wonderful boy."
And Dohrn, who said her son has been a gracious individual for most of his young life, believes he is a born leader.
"You can see it when Jack playing hockey," Dohrn said. "He instructs the other kids what to do on the ice and he is always there to help others in any way he can. I don't know where he gets it from."
Ellie
'An example for the rest of us'
December 4, 2007
BY KENDRICK MARSHALL kmarshall@scn1.com
All Jack Benoit wants for Christmas are Legos.
While the Oak Grove Elementary School second-grader would not mind unwrapping Spider-Man action figures, a Playstation 2 or other expensive toys come Dec. 25, the Green Oaks resident knows that many kids his age might not get anything at all.
The 9-year-old is planning to donate all of his prized birthday toys to needy Lake County children as part of the Toys for Tots drive.
"I am a generous person," Jack said, and he plans to contribute 40 toys for the collection drive this year. "I think the other kids would need them more than me. Plus, I have a lot of toys already."
His idea to donate his assortment of toys was inspired by a neighbor who raised funds for a pet charity at his birthday party last year.
And since the party was close to Christmas, Jack decided it would be a good gesture to give the toys to needy children.
His mother, Cathleen Dohrn, then called the Marines of Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion in Waukegan and informed them that her son would be donating his toys. Dohrn, however, just did not tell the Marines how many.
"We thought that he would be donating just maybe one or two toys," said Toys for Tots collection assistant Sgt. Natalie Jones. "But he came in with several boxes of toys. We were truly surprised."
Altogether, Jack had donated 43 toys for the drive, a record for someone so young and so giving, Jones said.
This year, the part-time hockey player and Cub Scout recently threw a Marines Corps birthday party Nov. 10 at the Glacier Ice Arena in Vernon Hills where his friends donated 79 toys for the campaign.
As a reward for his outstanding collection efforts, Jack and his friends were treated to a Toys for Tots event Saturday at the Marines Weapons Company, where they participated in toy sorting, camouflage painting, physical exercise and weapons safety.
"Jack is an example for the rest of the community that there are small miracles during the holiday season," Jones said. "He is a wonderful boy."
And Dohrn, who said her son has been a gracious individual for most of his young life, believes he is a born leader.
"You can see it when Jack playing hockey," Dohrn said. "He instructs the other kids what to do on the ice and he is always there to help others in any way he can. I don't know where he gets it from."
Ellie