Ho, ho, Gung Ho! Marine Corps Detachment distributes hundreds of toys
Milford. These Marines said they had as much fun as the kids at Santa’s North Pole, housed at the American Legion in Milford.
Milford /
| 21 Dec 2021 | 01:47
Erica Brennan, administrator for the project, DJ Knight, Deniece Closs, George Schmitt and Burt Weinstein are ready to shower families with toys. (Photo by Frances Ruth Harris)
Burt Weinstein and George Schmitt said they had as much fun as the kids! (Photo by Frances Ruth Harris)
DJ Knight stands ready with a giant crayon filled with building blocks. (Photo by Frances Ruth Harris)
The Marine Corps League Tri-State Gung Ho Detachment #909 made sure there were hundreds of toys under tristate trees this Christmas.
Parents from the tristate area chose toys from Santa’s North Pole, housed at the American Legion in Milford. Burt Weinstein, leader of the Marine Corps League, said parents came from Bushkill, Cuddebackville, Sparrowbush, Huguenot, Montague, Port Jervis, and from up and down the Delaware Valley.
Erica Brennan administers the Toys for Kids TriState program (ToysForKidsTriState.com).
Each year the Marines place huge Toys for Kids boxes in businesses all over the area. The Pike County Sheriff’s Department also collected toys in trunks for the project. Weinstein said, “125 families and 325 children celebrated Christmas this year because of the generosity of many caring people.” ShopRite and Walmart were instrumental in this project, as was the Pike County Human Development Authority.
The Marine Corps League has sent 2,048 care packages overseas over the last 20 years. They also sponsor a scholarship program. Weinstein said their biggest project is Toys for Kids.