Volunteer Colin Fuentes of Ventnor collects toys for distribution by the Atlantic County Toys for Kids program.
MARGATE Like the Three Wise Men, they came bearing gifts.
Carrying bags of toys and stuffed animals, hundreds of children and their families made their way to Sigmund Rimm Athletic Complex on Jerome Avenue Friday, Dec. 6 for the fifth annual Stuff the Police Cruiser toy drive and holiday celebration.
With generous hearts, the children dodged raindrops to bring new, unwrapped toys to stuff into three police cruisers where the toys were on display. The Atlantic County Toys for Kids program will distribute the bounty to needy children throughout the county.
Although there were a few raindrops, the weather was not nearly as bad as it was during last year's event, which was moved indoors to the Margate Municipal Building multi-purpose room.
In previous years, the Ventnor, Margate and Longport Police Benevolent Associations sponsored the event, but with the addition of the towns' Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Associations as sponsors, the event was bigger and better than ever.
Although the event is designed to collect toys for distribution to community groups, organizations and churches that request them, there was lots to do for the children who attended.
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Tables were set up where children participated in arts and crafts activities, wrote letters to Santa and enjoyed refreshments in the concession tent. Santa and Mrs. Claus were housed in a separate tent to hear the children's wishes for a merry Christmas. A stage was set up between the two tents where children were entertained by the likes of the Frozen sisters and Leslie's Dance Studio dancers. And, children waited in line to board a train that took them on an excursion around the festively lit park. Holiday characters milled about to socialize and take pictures with families.
Atlantic County Toys for Kids organizer Wally Korzeniewski said the organization collects toys during the holidays and throughout the year to distribute to churches and community groups that request toys for their children.
The organization collects and distributes about 12,000 toys during the Christmas holiday and about 2,000 more throughout the year, he said. The toys not only fill a need during the Christmas holidays, but also for families who may have lost their homes due to fire or storms.
For more information, see toysforkidsprogram.org.
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