By Beacon Staff
The Toys For Tots Semi of Love is parked in the Westland Mall parking lot today (Friday, Dec. 3) through noon Saturday (Dec. 4), and volunteers are asking for the public’s help in filling the semi with new, unopened toys for Christmas.
The annual charity giveaway, organized annually by the Hamilton Walters Marine Corps League, will take place before Christmas, on Dec. 11, 2021. More than 10,000 new, unopened toys are given to more than 800 financially disadvantaged children in Des Moines County and Henderson County, Ill.
Each child, no matter how many in a family, is allocated a certain number of toys designated into categories such as large, small, educational, etc.
Donating is easy as buying some toys and dropping by the semi-trailer. Monetary donations will be accepted, and checks can be sent to Toys for Tots, 607 S. Main Street Danville, IA 52623 anytime.
Charity organizers give away more than 100 bikes a year, and many of those are purchased with donated funds shortly before the giveaway.
The Semi of Love opened for business at noon Friday, and will be collecting toys for exactly 24 hours, through noon Saturday. Santa Claus himself was on hand for the opening hours of the toy drive, helping the volunteers load toys dropped off by generous locals.
