"Internet Toy Drive"

It has always been in November when I started alerting you to the Internet Toy Drive in conjunction with the U.S. Marines' "Toys for Tots." For 10 years, Rick Beneteau and I ran that project, kicking it off on Thanksgiving Day.

Rick acted as webmaster for the web site, we both promoted and, for several years, I provided my PayPal account for donations, paying the fees myself - as well as writing articles and leading most of our association members in promoting it through their own resources.

Over the years, we provided thousands and thousands of dollars to buy Christmas gifts for needy kids who otherwise would have had nothing on Christmas morning. I'm extremely proud of that project - and of our members' part in it. We carried the Internet Toy Drive every step of the way!

However ...

Without going into a lot of explanation, I am asking you this year to simply make your donations directly at the "Toys for Tots" web site. Rick has redirected the Internet Toy Drive web site to the Marines Toys for Tots Foundation at:

Toys for Tots

If you have ever contributed to this project, I know you will be contacted directly by "Toys for Tots" for this year's donation. So, I don't feel that anything will be lost for the kids.

Still, somehow, it seems to be the end of an era ...