Nearly 1,000 Fannin County children were served by the Lake Blue Ridge Marine Corps Detachment #1438 Toys for Tots program.
Specifically, 987 children were each given six toys out of 6,182 toys distributed.
Program Coordinator Cheryl Jordan said that by the time they received their supplemental shipment of toys, they had run out of storage space.
“I am pleased with how everything went,” Jordan said. “Distribution was amazing.”
They also received four boxes of stocking stuffers, she added, so each child received a handful of those.
Fannin County Family Connection also allowed the program to distribute some left over gloves, hats and underwear that family connection had been distributing.
Additionally, 800 of the children received one educational book.
The number of children served this past Christmas is actually a significant decrease from the year prior 1,086 children.
In 2020, 5,101 toys were distributed while in 2021 more toys were available for gifting.
There were 61 children who were signed up to receive toys whose parents or guardians never came to pick up their gifts.
Jordan would like to remind everyone that the Toys for Tots efforts are not just during the Christmas season, and there are at least 10 events scheduled through the end of the year to make this year’s Christmas distribution a success.
Announcements on fundraisers will be made in the future as the dates draw nearer.