Toys for Tots readying for 30th anniversary year

Willie Dash, the local Toys for Tots coordinator, says the coronavirus pandemic has forced changes this year, but he’s happy that the annual campaign is continuing to serve the needy children in the area.

“It’s nice to be able to continue. I know we’ve had some challenges, especially in the last couple of years, but Orangeburg is a great place for us. We’ve always had support through the years. It just allows the program to keep going,” Dash said.

“Without the community, the businesses and the people here in Orangeburg, we would have had to stop. It’s happened in a few places, but Orangeburg has always been a strong support base for us,” he said.

Last year, nearly 1,000 were served.

The Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots campaign officially opened Oct. 1 when officials began accepting letters from children and families, but the distribution of collection boxes has been delayed because nationwide supply chain issues.

“Our actual collection boxes will start going out this week to our businesses. We just got them in last week,” Dash said.

Children write letters to Santa in care of the Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots program. Letters must come with a verification of need from a school guidance counselor or church pastor.

A S.C. Department of Social Services household summary, which confirms who is in a household and their ages, must also be included, Dash said.

Families are not able to register to receive assistance from the program at various locations throughout the community this year because of the pandemic. Registration is being conducted online at orangeburg-sc@toysfortot.org.

“We’re not able to do standups like we normally do because of the pandemic. So we’ve had to basically stick to the online registration (and letters),” he said.

The letters will be accepted until Dec. 1. Community residents read the letters and adopt children, but the families of children who are not adopted will not have an opportunity to visit Santa’s Workshop this year because of the pandemic.

“Due to the pandemic, they still won’t be able to walk through warehouse and select toys like we normally do. Everything will be prebagged just like it was last year,” he said, noting that that’s why it’s so important that they get the letters in.

While a letter acceptance deadline of Dec. 1 has been set, Dash said the program will work to accommodate those who may have emergency needs.

“We have people that come into the area, and we also registration from families kind of displaced. So we do work to try to get things done for them also,” he said.

The quicker individuals get letters from children in, however, the better, Dash said.

Remote-control toys, dolls, electronics, educational books and football, basketball and soccer balls are among items kids request the most, he said.

The program assists children from birth to age 14 in its service region. New, unwrapped toys will be accepted, along with financial gifts for purchasing toys.

The service region has traditionally included Orangeburg and Calhoun counties, but surrounding counties such as Bamberg will be served this year.

“It’s mainly Orangeburg and Calhoun counties, but we do assist with other counties,” he said, noting that individuals can visit toysforttots.com and find the closest campaign to them and still be allowed to register under that campaign.

Individuals can donate online at orangeburg-sc@toysfortots.org if they wish.

Toys will be collected through Dec. 10. The toys will be distributed Dec. 18.

All donations made to the Orangeburg chapter stay in Orangeburg, Dash said.

The local program has an account with the Toys for Tots Foundation. All money goes through that account, but it comes back to the local Toys for Tots program, Dash noted.

Boxes have been distributed to some businesses for the collection of new and unwrapped toys, but that’s just one way the community, including churches, can participate in the effort.

Dash stressed the importance of volunteers, particularly during registration and distribution, which will also be conducted differently this year.

“We have some regulars. They’re amazing. They come in and do a lot of work for us. There’s no way we could be prepared without their help. They’re pretty much the backbone of the campaign. We could always use more, though,” he said.

This year, distribution will administered from a building located at 299 Middleton St. in Orangeburg.

If a business wants to donate some secure warehouse space, it would be appreciated, Dash said.

He is grateful for the continued support from the community, though he expects adoptions will be down this year.

“Adoptions have been down. We still have one of our major businesses that does adopt. That’s probably where the majority of our adoptions come from. We still do have a few individuals that come in and do it, but that was down last year, and I anticipate it to be down again this year,” Dash said, noting that he is confident the community will pull together to make this year’s campaign a success.

Dash is confident the support from area businesses will continue as it has in the past, including with the placement of collection boxes. It is something he is grateful for, he said.

The program’s annual motorcycle toy run will be held on Dec. 11.

People interested in donating a monetary gift or sending in an application can mail it to: 1701 Belleville Road, Orangeburg, SC 29115. All donations should be made out to the Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots.

For more information, Dash can be contacted by phone at 803-290-2718 or by email at orangeburg.sc@toysfortots.org.

Dash is also commandant of the Greater Orangeburg Leathernecks Marine Corps League, Detachment 1259.