Toys for Tots

This time of year the hustle and bustle at Carol and Steve Titus’ house could rival the accelerated scrambling at the North Pole. Santa and his elves are not the only ones working “around the clock” to ensure that thousands of children will receive toys and other gifts this year — Toys for Tots is in full force as well.

In the St. Cloud area, Toys for Tots is sponsored by Catholic Charities Emergency Services in cooperation with the U.S. Marine Corps League, Valhalla Detachment, to provide toys for children of families in need. New toys are collected or purchased for distribution to more than 3,000 children, ages 16 and younger.

Steve and Carol Titus started volunteering with the program — organizing the collection boxes and working with clients in 1992. Steve became the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation local coordinator in 2000.

Since then, Steve and around other 30 volunteers pick up donated toys throughout the holiday season from participating organizations and businesses and from the more than 235 drop boxes in our area. Carol sets up about 40 to 45 volunteers through the local Marine Corps League for nine shifts during the toy distribution. About 10 years ago Carol asked me to work at one of those shifts. I’ve done it every year since then — it’s always a heartwarming experience for me.

“The St. Cloud community has been wonderful,” Carol said. “Steve and I and the League want to thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts.”

Members of St. Mary, Help of Christians in St. Augusta, the couple has three daughters and seven grandchildren — many of whom who have started their Christmas celebration for years by volunteering together on the last Toys for Tots distribution shift. It’s become a holiday tradition that their family members truly treasure.

New toys are still being collected at Toys R Us and numerous other locations around the St. Cloud area. Donations of toys, winter hats and mittens, stuffed animals and stocking stuffers may also be dropped off from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and Wednesdays until 8 p.m. at Catholic Charities Emergency Services. Donations of cash may be mailed to Catholic Charities 2011 Holiday Programs, P.O. Box 2390, St. Cloud, MN 56302-2390. Toy distribution begins Dec. 15. For more information about the program in this area, call 320-229-4560.

If you are living outside the St. Cloud area, visit the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation to search for a campaign site near you.

P.S. Stop back a little later today to see Carol’s recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls. CJK