Tarrant County and The True Spirit of Giving,Toys For Tots By YM/MSgt Kayla Colacion Tarrant County (TX) My participation in Toys for Tots,2016 started with the Tarrant County Young Marines the day after Thanksgiving, at the Grapevine Mills Mall. We had to be there starting at 5:30 a.m. It was a very, very cold (and early. Having to be up so very early at 4:00 a.m. was hard for me, but I survived. We returned once again on the following Saturday.It was a week- end filled with many smiles, donations and working alongside of some great U. S. Marines. Our next event was the following week, Saturday and Sunday, December 3rd and 4th at Snooty Pig Restaurant in Keller. This was a TCYM’s sponsored Toys for Tots drive and our second year here, we were also at the Tuesday Morning store this year (located in the same out- door shopping center.) The cold, along with the wind and rain did not stop me and my fellow TCYM’s from volunteering. This is a small com- munity, with many veterans who came out to support a great cause. Many of the customers stopped and chatted with our Young Marines. We collected 212 toys that weekend. We kept the spirt going next at Sun- dance Square in Downtown Ft. Worth on Tuesday evening, December 6th. Our TCYM’s were here to assist the U. S. Ma- rines collect toys and money from the community. Rolling on next was Ridgmar Mall in Ft. Worth on Saturday and Sun- day, December 10th and 11th. We have come here for many years, working with the Lockheed Employees this year and with more U. S. Marines. December 10th: One of my favorite spots each year is the Toys for Tots Warehouse in Carrollton, Texas. This was my fourth year helping out at the ware- house. It is truly amaz- ing to see what goes on behind the scenes with all those toys that have been collected. It was hard work, but was fun at the same time to work once again alongside Ma- rines and other volunteers.As toys, bikes, and stuffed animals are dropped off, we begin the process, assisting with unload- ing, then to the counting process. Next we start sorting by age,and gender (Girls 3-5,Boys 6-8,stuffed animals).This is the fun part, seeing all the great toys that have been collected. Knowing how many kids these toys will go to is amazing. Our final Toys for Tots collection was for the McKesson Corporation Employee Christ- mas Party, held at the Las Colinas Con- vention Center in Irving, Texas, Saturday, December 17th. Employees attending were ask to bring a toy for Toys for Tots. We were told 313 toys had been collected at this event. The true meaning of Toys for Tots all came to a reality for me when I had the honor and privilege of being able to volunteer at the Keller Community Storehouse Annual Christmas House on Thursday, December 22nd with my mom. The Christmas House distributes Christ- mas toys to families for each child, ages 0-18. This year they were expecting to provide for 4400 kids. When I took the tour to how everything was set up, it was with great surprise and to see how many boxes were from Toys for Tots. I saw all these toys dis- played, (and with many more still in boxes), yet I was told there may not be enough. I worked the Boys 3-5 station, my role as toy monitor was to assist parents/grandparents in picking out two toys out for each child in this age bracket. Seeing their smiles, hearing their voices crack and at times seeing their eyes tear up, made me realize the true spirt of giving that is the Toys for Tots Experience. In addition to the toys, these families were also provided a holiday meal in order to make their Christmas a joyful celebra- tion. In addition to the above Toys for Tots events, the Tarrant County Young Ma- rines also volunteered for the Positive Solutions Outreach Christmas Event, in Ft Worth, Texas on Sunday, December 11th. There they feed the homeless and providing toys for the kids, clothing and other items. We also participated in the Grapevine Lights Christmas Parade on Thursday,December 1st and the National Wreaths Across America, Wreath Laying at Dallas/Ft. Worth National Cemetery on Saturday, December 17th. A special thanks goes to our Registered Adult Staff for giving their time and to our parents and family members for al- lowing their Young Marines make these events possible. I am proud to say I am a member of the Tarrant County Young Marines, and I am looking forward to an even better 2017. Editor’s Note: YM/MSgt Kayla Colacion is also Public Affairs Officer, Division 4. Tarrant County (TX) Young Marines volunteered at a number of events to assist Toys For Tots efforts duringthe 2016 holiday season. 20 YOUNG MARINES ESPRIT ONLINE