From FloridaToday.com
COCOA — Heidi Trentham knows that she's still short of toys to fill the need for this year's Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots distribution in Brevard County.
But as she sorts and bags toys, Trentham remains hopeful that the additional items needed will be donated in the next few days. Requests have been on the rise in recent years but has spiked this Christmas season, a reality that's blamed in part on the area's 11.4 percent unemployment rate.
"It's a bad year," she said. "At this point we're missing quite a bit."
Derek Walls, commander of the Toys for Tots campaign in Brevard, said last year there were 2,376 children who received toys through the program.
This year, 3,745 children are signed up to receive toys. That's in addition to 14 churches and other organizations that have requested toys from the campaign.
During the 62 years of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program, Marines have distributed more than 400 million toys to more than 188 million needy children.
The local collection of new, unwrapped toys started in October with the help of the Florida Search and Rescue Corps, an organization Walls, a Marine reservist, founded. The organization teaches 10- to 18-year-olds military history, first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, military drills, woodland survival and other subjects.
Walls said there remains a need for items for older children.
"My big deficit now is for boys and girls 11 to 13," he said.
Walls said oftentimes people think of small children when they are buying toys to donate. He wants to encourage donors to consider items for those up to 16 years old.
Toys can be dropped off at any Publix in Brevard County.
Lenny Panzini, whose 16-year-old son is a member of the Search and Rescue Corps, learned about the need and is trying to help meet them.
Panzini, Internet sales manager for Island Lincoln Mercury Land Rover Jaguar on Merritt Island, said for each toy donated he is offering $5 on customers' Advantage card, which can be used for service or purchases at any Lincoln Mercury dealership.
"We're trying to fill a Lincoln Navigator" with toys, he said.
Others like chiropractor Dr. Marco La Starza in Rockledge, is offering chiropractic services for toys donated. He will be at Wal-Mart in Indian Harbor Dec. 19 offering free health and wellness services and will collect toys there.
"Within our office we're trying to collect toys," said Alana Colton, office manager for La Starza. "We're trying to help them out."
Tuesday would be the ideal date to receive the last toys in order to get them sorted and bagged, but because of the extra need, it will be extended.
"We're accepting toys all the way up to Christmas Eve," Trentham said.
Trentham, a volunteer who, along with Suzanne Reil, took eight days of vacation time to help with the toy collection, said she does it simply to help children whose families can't afford it.
"It's a good feeling knowing that when they get up at Christmas they'll have something."
