CHRISTMAS came early this year as countless children across the Marianas received toys through the islands’ eighth annual Toys for Tots campaign.
Established in 1947, Toys for Tots is a Marine Corps Reserve mission and one of the most popular Christmastime charities for children. The primary goal of this campaign is to deliver — through a new toy at Christmas — a message of hope and joy, helping children under the age of 17 become responsible, productive, and patriotic citizens.
Led by U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, the public and private sectors, along with community members, dedicated time and resources to bring smiles to children’s faces this holiday season. 800 toys were sent from Guam to Tinian and Rota, and an additional 300 sent from Saipan to Tinian and Rota from the Saipan Chamber of Commerce, transported through Micronesian Air Cargo Services. In all, the Saipan Chamber of Commerce helped collect 2,602 toys for this year’s campaign, of which 350 will be donated to Karidat.
“This year truly is a giving year as we decreased almost half of our partnering businesses, but we were able to double collection from last year. That says a lot about how giving the community is this year. The children of the CNMI will surely wake up happy this Christmas,” said Chamber Executive Director Kimberly C. Camacho.
On December 16, a toy drive-thru distribution drive was held at the Garapan Fishing Base on Saipan through the partnership of the U.S. Marines, the Lady Diann Torres Foundation, the Commonwealth Bureau of Military Affairs, the Women’s Affairs Office, and the Office of the Governor.
On Tinian, a toy drive-thru distribution was held at the Antonio M. Borja Amphitheatre parking lot through the efforts of the Office of the Mayor of Tinian and Aguiguan, the Tinian International Women’s Association, and Star Marianas Air.
The U.S. Marines also delivered children’s toys to the Office of the Mayor of Rota for distribution today, Friday, Dec. 23.
This year’s Toys for Tots campaign partners also included Assurance Brokers Inc., Atkins Kroll, Bank of Guam, Bank of Saipan, Bank Pacific, Bridge Capital, Camille’s Cookies & Crumbles, Catholic Charities Guam, Century Insurance, Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation, Crowne Plaza, Department of Commerce, Duty Free Saipan, Dial Rent to Own, Docomo Pacific, ExxonMobil, First Hawaiian Bank, FISG, Fork & Spoon, Guam Chamber of Commerce, Hyatt Regency Saipan, Isla Shave Ice, IT&E Saipan, Jacqueline Villagomez Consulting, Joeten Enterprises, Karidat, Mañe’lu, MANGO, Marianas Business Plaza, Marianas Creations, Matson, Northern Marianas College, Pacific Health Inc., Pacifica Insurance Inc., Paradise Dental Spa, Paradiso Resort and Spa, Roil Soil Clothing, Saipan Shipping, Saipan Vegas, Seventh Day Adventist Clinic, Seventh Day Adventist School, Staywell Insurance, Small Business Development Center Network, The ERC Group, The Salvation Army, The Trove Saipan, Triple J Affiliates, TurnKey Solutions, and VFW Post 3457.
Last year, 9,241 toys were distributed throughout Guam, Rota, Saipan, and Tinian, thanks to the combined efforts of Marine Corps Camp Blaz and local partners.
