Businessman chips in gift cards to spur Marines' Mundelein toy drive

Thanks to the generosity of a local business owner, people who donate to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve's Toys for Tots program in Mundelein may receive an extra holiday present of their own.

TieMart owner Mike Martyka has given 40 $25 gift cards from four national retailers to the staff at Mundelein's village hall. If someone puts at least $50 worth of toys in the Toys for Tots box there and shows a receipt, they'll get a gift card.

The gift cards are for Target, Home Depot, TJ Maxx and Pier 1 Imports - all of which have stores in Mundelein.

"I wanted to come up with a way to get more toys donated," Martyka said. "With this program, I spend $1,000 but they get another $2,000 in toys."

The cards will be available on a first-come, first-served basis until they're all given away. So far, three have been claimed.

Martyka and his wife, Darlene, are longtime supporters of the Toys for Tots program. Each year they've gone on shopping sprees for the charity with their children and grandchildren.

This week, they brought bags filled with more than $1,500 in toys purchased at Mundelein's Target store to village hall for the collection there.

"What started out with my wife and I filling up a shopping cart for Toys for Tots has grown over the years into a family shopping experience the Tuesday prior to Thanksgiving," Martyka said. "Most of our grandchildren are out of school that day, so they join in the fun."

Mayor Steve Lentz called the Martyka family inspirational.

"I would expect we're going to have the largest Toys for Tots collection we've ever contributed from village hall," he said.

Toys for Tots donations should be new and unwrapped. Donations will be accepted at village hall, 300 Plaza Circle, through mid-December.