Batavia students help support Toys For Tots at Grace McWayne Elementary

At 9:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 12, the students of Grace McWayne Elementary school in Batavia will present more than 800 toys to Toys For Tots.

The students have worked diligently over the last few months fundraising and collecting new, unwrapped toys to help support the Toys for Tots program.

The student council will present the gifts to Toys For Tots coordinator, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Patrick Kackert of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and other volunteer members.

Grace McWayne Elementary is among many organizations participating in this year's campaign, but so far, the students of Grace McWayne have collected the most toys.

"The Toys For Tots motto is 'every child deserves a little Christmas'," notes CWO3 Patrick Kackert. "We are honored to have the students be part of Toys For Tots and assist us with delivering a message of hope to needy children in the community."

Toys For Tots is a charitable program and foundation instituted by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve in 1947. The program mission is "to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to children in need throughout the community in which the campaign is conducted. The primary goal of Toys For Tots is to deliver, through a shiny new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to needy children that will motivate them to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens and community leaders."

For information about Toys For Tots, visit the official Kane County website at batavia-il.toysfortots.org.