Toys For Tots Campaign Underway Across Lower Shore

OCEAN CITY – The Town of Ocean City issued a proclamation this week designating December as Toys for Tots month.

On Monday evening, Mayor Rick Meehan presented the Marine Corp League First State Detachment a Proclamation recognizing the month of December as Marine Corps League Toys for Tots Month.

According to the proclamation, “the First State Detachment Marine Corps League works in Ocean City and Worcester County with dedication and effectiveness to preserve the traditions and interests of the United States Marine Corps.

“The First State Detachment has banded together those honorably discharged Marines in the Ocean City area for the purpose of voluntarily aiding and rendering assistance of all Marines and veteran Marines and their widows and orphans.

“The First State Detachment perpetuates the history of the United States Marines through fitting acts to observe the anniversaries of historical occasions of interest to Marines and all Americans.

“The First State Detachment has as a further mission of providing good cheer and well-being to local needy children during the holiday season through the Detachment’s Toys for Tots program.

“The Toys for Tots program has assured that thousands of children in the area had a toy during this season of giving that they would not have had save the efforts of the First State Detachment Marine Corps League and the generosity of fellow citizens.”

Frank Mathers, Commandant First State Detachment Marine Corps League, thanked the Town of Ocean City on behalf of the detachment’s 140-plus members.

“This project, Toys for Tots, is near and dear to our hearts. We continually throughout the year work on this. As soon as one toy drive is over, we start on the next one. Last year we actually provided toys to over 17,000 kids. That is on both sides of the line between Sussex County and Worcester County,” Mathers said.

The First State Detachment has already begun donating toys this holiday season, including for a tragic event that occurred a few weeks ago.

On Nov. 18, Tyler and Amber Bare, and their two small children, lost their home to a fire. Tyler Bare is a volunteer firefighter who is applying to join Millsboro Fire Company as well as is an armed forces veteran who served in Afghanistan with the Marines. Amber Bare works as an EMT with the Millsboro Fire Company.

“The one thing we, the Marine Corp League, made sure of was those children have their toys this year through Toys for Tots. That is just one example of what we try to fulfill, to make sure children have toys during the holidays,” Mathers said.

The First State Detachment Marine Corps League is a non-profit organization. The Detachment uses the money raised from events during the year to support our community service programs such as Semper Fi fund, Toys for Tots, Youth Physical Fitness Program and others community events, in southeastern Sussex County and northeastern Worcester County.

“It means a lot,” Mathers said of the proclamation. “We appreciate this effort to bring it [Toys for Tots] to the forefront.”

Donations can be dropped off at Toys for Tots collection locations that are listed on Toys for Tots website, www.toysfortots.org. Donations can also be made on the website.