MOLINE, Ill. — The donation bins were overflowing Tuesday during WQAD's annual Toys for Tots drive.
WQAD hosted the drop-off event with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday outside of our station in Moline. This year, we also partnered with IHeartMedia station WLLR to collect the toys.
"I'd like to bring a smile to a child's face and I think that what I brought today will make somebody very happy and I would just like to do that again," Kathy Mateski said.
Many people who stopped by to donate toys say they do this every year.
"We thought that giving is the best thing to do for Christmas," Don Bell said. "Anything that anybody can do to help others in need is what we're here to do."
"It's giving back to community that's given to me and mine, so I think it's something everybody should do something about," Alex Key said.
It's the 75th year of Toys for Tots in the Quad Cities. Last year 22,790 toys were distributed, helping support 6,246 children.
"It means a lot, honestly it does," said LCpl. Aaron M. Layne, who was out helping at WQAD and WLLR all day.
Toys for Tots coordinator Cpl. Alec Smith said the goal this year is to help the same amount of families or even more. Any toys left over get donated to other partners.
Toys for Tots historically has the lowest amount of donations for boys and girls between ages 10 through 12. It's also low on donations for one and two-year-olds.
Smith said they are also looking for more volunteers to help sort and distribute toys to families on Dec. 10, 11, 16, 17, 18 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
"We've got probably 15 or 20 dedicated volunteers who show up whenever I need them and they're just amazing," Smith said. "And without them, this program would not run."
Toys for Tots is collecting toys until Dec. 3 and verification to receive toys is taking place Dec. 1-3 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1 Montgomery Drive in Moline.
For more information on how to volunteer or donate, click here.
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