Toys For Tots/Goods For Troops
Letter to Editor
The 20th annual Rotary Club of Mansfield Toys for Tots Campaign had a great year considering the continued state of the economy. We had another great year, over 3300 toys collected.
According to the US Marines Volunteer Corps Commander Bruce Aulerich from Swansea, The Mansfield collection is the largest in Bristol County which serves 55 communities. Paul Connor, the Chairman for the Mansfield Rotary Club’s annual collection has organized the event to run smoothly and efficiently. Paul said “Even as people and businesses are feeling the pinch of the economic times, they continue to step up and help out. It is wonderful to see people make the effort to ensure that children have a good Christmas.”
We had all Rotarians on deck to help with the pickup and delivery of over 3300 toys to the Toys for Tots and the Westside Benevolent Circle of Mansfield. Businesses continue to have different ways to help collect toys. The Qualters Middle School and Jordan Jackson Schools collected nearly 200 toys. Sharon Credit Union collected the most toys of any of the over 77 businesses that participated. They collected just under 400 toys! Another great partner in our toys drive is Covidien. They built and donated over 100 bicycles during the summer on their annual volunteer day.
We also want to give a big thanks to all our local businesses that participated in our Goods for Troops drive. We collected over 200 care packages that go directly to our soldiers on the front lines in Afghanistan. These items are so helpful to our troops that have to spend the holidays away from their families, in the toughest conditions.
We owe a lot to our local banks, North Easton Savings Bank, Mansfield Bank, and Sharon Credit Union. They collect toys and stuffed their monthly statements with Toys for Tots flyers. This year, they collectively sent out 55,000 flyers! Mansfield Bank also had about a dozen volunteers join us at Mansfield Jeep Chrysler to sort and count toys.
North Easton Savings Bank also donated $1000 dollars. The Chrysler Union, UAW Local 422 donated toys and over $900. Other local businesses donated money as well. In total we collected $2400. The money was used to purchase gift cards for teenagers at various Mansfield businesses.
We want to express our sincere gratitude to all those anonymous citizens who drop off toys at all of our collection boxes. One of our Rotarians witnessed a 5 year old girl putting a toy in one of our boxes at the police station. Also at the annual Christmas Parade this year a good citizen handed us a check for $100 while our float was rolling down Main Street. It is kindness like this that makes our toy drive so special. Westside Benevolent is now very busy sorting the toys and stuffing them into bags for delivery to families in need this weekend. We wish them success.
We had a great time once again helping raise awareness to the children and hope that we made quite a few kids Christmas more enjoyable. If you have a business and want to be involved next year, Please contact Paul Connor at Mansfield Jeep Chrysler at 508-339-3400.
Thanks to all for a great year.
Paul Connor
Toys for Tots Chairman, Rotary Club of Mansfield