EUGENE, Ore. — This weekend, Local Marines handed out toys to nearly 2,000 families in Springfield, Oakridge and Cottage Grove.

Your donations helped those families, and the nearly 4,000 kids who now have presents under the Christmas tree.

Consider this the softer side of the Marines, trying out toys before they end up in the cart and eventually in the hands of a local child.

“There’s a lot that goes through your mind when you’re running through the aisles, picking up whatever toy it might be,” said Staff Sgt. Thadd Pooler, U.S. Marine Corps.

On the first big shopping trip of the year, the Marines spent $18,000 at Toys”R”Us. That’s money you donated last year.

“It’s a lot of toys. A lot of money, a lot of fun,” Pooler said.

The Sunday after Black Friday, families showed up at ShopKo to make a donation to Toys for Tots and kids got a chance to ride in fire trucks and police cars.

“It’s important to kind of share with them about giving and about how they have a lot of things in life but not everyone is that fortunate,” said donor Austin Bailey.

That’s the lesson Mona Ayers, owner of MJ Daycare, wanted to teach this group of pre-schoolers.

“The children wanted to learn a little bit about giving instead of getting,” Ayers said.

They stormed the toy aisle at the West 18th Avenue and Chambers Street Bi-mart to pick out donations.

The Marines took a cue from the kiddos and did some more shopping of their own. They loaded the carts with about $4,500 worth of toys. They did the same thing the next week at the Mohawk Bi-mart.

On our final Toys for Tots Tuesday, we saw a phenomenal response, including a $2,000 donation.

“It covers so many children, so many areas of need and it’s just something very trustworthy and just a wonderful thing,” said donor Terri Becker.

Two days later we launched our first-ever mobile tweetup, driving all around Eugene and Springfield to collect your donations. In all, we picked up 3,156 toys and 2,228 stocking stuffers. Those, and all the rest we collected this year, went home with parents this weekend.

“I think what they do here is really great. I think it takes a lot of community to do something like this you know. It takes a whole community to raise a child and I really think that’s true,” said toy recipient Crystal Thornbrugh.

The Marines aren’t done yet. They’ll also hand out toys to local pediatric units on Christmas Eve.

Last week was a little slow. We only filled the Marines’ van twice.

This week there was a huge change. We stuffed it full twice before 2 p.m.

Bi-Mart members stopped by to empty their carts overflowing with toys into our bins. In a few cases, people pulled up just in front of our tent and emptied their cars.

Of course, not everyone can buy that many toys. But even one will make a difference to the child who gets it on Christmas morning.

“Please donate. These kids are thrilled when they get a gift they haven’t been getting. It’s just wonderful,” said donor Evelyn Fackler.

“It’s just a great program. My kids benefited from it when we were in hard times. Everybody has hard times, so if you can donate, it’s the best program to donate to,” said donor Angela Akins.

“It’s not going to hurt you. Do it. If you’re not getting anyone anything for Christmas, buy toys for kids,” said donors David and Shari Caffey.

You don’t have to bring a toy. You can also drop off cash or a check just like a lot of donors did Tuesday.

In fact, we saw more monetary donations than ever before in four years of doing these all-day drives.

Our next Toys for Tots Tuesday toy drive is Dec. 11.

EUGENE, Ore. — On the first of three Toys for Tots Tuesdays, KEZI 9 News partnered with the U.S. Marine Corps and Bi-Mart to collect as many donations as we could for local kids in need.

For one group of local children, it was lesson in giving.

Taking a group of kids down a toy aisle is challenge enough. Taking them down the toy aisle and not letting them keep one–you’d think that would really be a challenge. But not for one group.

“The children wanted to learn a little bit about giving instead of getting,” said Mona Ayers, MJ Daycare owner.

So they know the toys they’re painstakingly picking won’t go home with them.

“We’re giving new people some toys because they don’t have some,” said Bella.

It’s a lesson in giving that’s instilled in these local children and still remembered when they’re all grown up. We had hundreds of people stop by to drop off a toy or two and share a word or two.

“They thank us. Thank us for, for what we’re doing. They’re eager to help,” said Thadd.

They did help, giving a Christmas to kids who might not have one.

“Our members, they just come out and respond so well. It just really, really speaks well of them,” said don Leber, Bi-Mart Marketing Director.

“It’s been phenomenal,” Thadd said.

EUGENE, Ore. — If you heard sirens and saw flashing lights at the Shopko in Eugene Sunday, there was no need to be alarmed. It was all for a good cause. The Shopko parking lot on Chad Drive was where Toys for Tots held its annual donation event and it was filled with dozens of people that day.

Organizers said you couldn’t help but feel the Christmas spirit as everyone there was eager to make sure the holiday would make it to every household this year. Local first responders along with several U.S. Marines were tending to a different sort of emergency Sunday–children in danger of being giftless come Christmas morning.

The group wasn’t alone in its mission. They were joined by crowds of local families and even some cheerful mascots, all more than willing to help make sure kids throughout the area wouldn’t miss out on Christmas this year.

Donor Austin Bailey said, “We came to drop off some gifts for some kids who might not get any.”

While the donations kept on coming, organizers made sure there would be plenty to go around, running inside to fill carts and carts with toys for kids in need.

Sgt. Reginald Glen with the U.S. Marines said, “It’s a good feeling and it’s also very important. A lot of these families don’t have the money or are struggling to get their kids a nice christmas. So us coming out here and doing all this for them…they’re really grateful and thankful for it.”

Almost everyone agreed that the event was both an opportunity to help as well as pass on the generous spirit.

“It’s one of the best ways we can share what we’re doing and parents love to bring their kids out here, because it’s a great way to teach them about donating,” said Toys for Tots Board Member Kristi Reeser.

“It’s important to share with them about giving…So we figure if we teach them early it will help,” said Bailey.

The items collected on Sunday will be distributed to families in the Eugene and Springfield area on December 15th and 16th. The event is over, but it’s not too late to help out. To find a donation drop off near you, click here.

This year, the bus will be at Walmart stores in Eugene and Springfield.

Friday morning, donors at the one on Green Acres Road helped fill up the back of the bus.

It’s not too late to donate. The bus will be at the Olympic Street Walmart in Springfield until 9 p.m. Friday. All day Saturday, it’ll be parked at the West 11th Avenue location in Eugene.

Sunday you’ll be able to find it at the Food For Lane County building.

EUGENE, Ore. — Toys for Tots season is officially under way.

Thursday, local Marines hit the Eugene Toys”R”Us to load up on goodies for kids in need.

Their mission is to fill a truck with $18,000 worth of toys. That’s money donated by the store’s customers last year that the Marines get to spend this year.

KEZI 9 News partnered with the Marines and Bi-mart for several all-day toy drives. The first one is the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 27. It’s from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Bi-mart at 18th Avenue and Chambers Street.

The Marines say they collected over 21,000 toys in Lane County during Toys For Tots this year.

They donated some to local charities, families at their distributions, and Saturday, they made their final stop in the children’s wing at RiverBend.

While nobody wants to spend Christmas Eve in the hospital, but for families who had no choice, Lane County Marines and firefighters did their best to bring some extra cheer.

Staff Sergeant Luis Jenkins has been working hard for Toys For Tots but he says days like today make it all worth it.

“Everybody’s in awe that we’re actually here. I mean it’s amazing. You just see that smile, and it’s Christmas Eve,” said Staff Sergeant Jenkins.

“Though some of the kids are asleep and some are awake or not feeling real well, they all get a smile on their face when they receive an extra toy,” said Springfield Paramedic Diana Chappell.

Ten-month-old Max is one of the younger patients at RiverBend.

His parents Chris and Melissa say they we’re completely surprised by the visit.

“This was awesome. It was such a downer and this really brightened the day, really brightened our experience here,” said Max’s Dad Chris Rosin.

“Well it’s his first Christmas, so he really made out like a bandit,” said Max’s Mom Melissa.

Max and his family just found out they get to go home for Christmas, but for those who don’t, Toys For Tots brings Christmas to them.

Staff Sergeant Jenkins will be away from his family, too, but he says being part of Christmas for these kids helps him get through the holidays.

“My family’s in Texas. So, I can’t be there for my family because of other commitments, but I mean it’s amazing to be able to be there for somebody else’s family,” said Staff Sergeant Jenkins.

Staff Sergeant Jenkins says it’s a lot of hard work, but it’s for a lot of deserving families.

“A lot of hours and a lot of miles, but in the end, we touched three-thousand families directly at the distribution. And then obviously here at the hospital, going to the homes, going to the organizations, you walk out of here and you just feel so good about it, it’s what Christmas is about,” said Staff Sergeant Jenkins.

“In the past week, it’s been about 18,000 toys we’ve given out to kids in the community,” said US Marine Corps Sgt. Brandon Coffin.

About 16,000 of those were handed out this weekend when parents lined up outside the Springfield Armory to get Christmas presents for their kids, and there are still some left over.

“It’s really great. As you can see, we still have a lot of toys left over and we’re still giving toys out to all these organizations,” Coffin said.

One of those organizations is St. Vincent de Paul. Crews loaded up their truck with toys for kids of all ages from newborns to teenagers. But as soon as those toys head out, more come in.

Donations are still trickling in from local Bi-Marts to the Marines are working to get them back out into the community.

“Multiple churches and schools. We’ve been giving a lot of books out, things like that,” Coffin said.

On Christmas Eve, boxes of toys will head to local hospitals to kids who won’t be able to go home for the holiday.

“It’s great to get ‘em and it’s great to give ‘em. It’s great to see the smiling faces on the kids,” Coffin said.

For the past three years when we’ve done our donation drives, the customers at the Mohawk Blvd. Bi-Mart always blow me away with their generosity. Tuesday was no different.

“There’s a great group out here. They’ve supported our store for so long,” said Don Leber of Bi-Mart.

The members who stopped by Tuesday have also supported Toys for Tots for years. Of the stores we do our drives at every year, the Bi-Mart on Mohawk brings out the most donations.

“Just think of all the kids who won’t have all that much of a Christmas, if any at all,” said donor Adam Keefauver.

Veteran Keefauver and his mom came out of Bi-Mart with a cart overflowing with donations.

“Educational fun toys and some of the Army stuff. Got to keep that alive. Then my mom, she got a bunch of girls stuff that I’m not too good at picking out,” Keefauver said.

“We got them from Toys ‘R Us and my dad’s a reseller and he got a lot of extra toys so we can donate them,” said donor Devan Coombes.

Eleven-year-old Coombes brought two bags, filling a bin instantly. She might be young, but she knows the importance of giving.

“It’s pretty cool. I think it’s really cool that a lot of people want to come out and donate,” Coombes said.

“It’s been a great year and what’s fun is our members are so giving, even in these difficult times when people are struggling,” Leber said.

The Christmas spirit also came in the form of one couple who filled not one, but two carts of toys to donate.

“It’s just a real sense of community here in Springfield and they do a great job,” Leber said.

Each one will get a ticket that lets them come back this weekend and pick out a toy from the boxes the community helped fill.

“I was here about 8:20,” said parent Melissa Cordell.

But the first parents in line at the Springfield Armory showed up at 2 a.m.

“I knew there was going to be a big line, and I’m all about my kids and I wanted to be out here and be sure my kids got something,” Cordell said.

They were soon joined by hundreds as they waited in the cold, bundled in blankets, sleeping bags, and anything they could find to keep warm.

“I’ve got two pairs of gloves on. I’ve got latex gloves on and long-johns on, sporting my kids’ hat,” said parent Herman Mueller.

“I am bundled up in a Marine-style sleeping bag and three jackets. I’m pretty warm,” said parent Cherry Smith.

“It was amazing just to see the people out there and to know that we’re going to help them and give them something during Christmas. That’s what Christmas is all about — giving,” said US Marine Corps Sgt. Brandon Coffin.

Give is what local Marines will do all weekend. But before all those parents come through, volunteers came in to get all their toys in order. They’re moving the toys from the warehouse over to the gym, box by box.

That is where parents will go through Saturday and Sunday looking for the toys their kids have been asking for.

“I got three girls in the house and they’re all about Barbie dolls,” Mueller said.

“My youngest son has been wanting a little race car-type deal. So I just want to see if I can find something like that for him,” Smith said.

Chances are good that she will. The Marines say they collected nearly 21,000 toys this year.

“The people in this county are so generous and it really is great to see all the toys and know that every child in this county will get something nice,” Coffin said.

“I just appreciate Toys for Tots and I’m very thankful for them, that’s for sure,” Cordell said.

“I wish everybody a merry Christmas,” Mueller said.

The Marines will hand out those toys on Saturday and Sunday in Springfield and Oakridge.