Toys For Tots seeking volunteers and gifts

Central Coast Toys for Tots organizers are gearing up for the final push to collect thousands of toys for needy children this holiday season.

Efforts in the busy final weeks include multiple events and an urgent plea for volunteers to help screen recipients in Santa Maria.

A motorcycle run, concerts and other events are planned to help reach the 2004 goal.

Saturday, motorcyclists are expected to converge at Maverick Saloon & Grill, 510 S. Broadway, in Santa Maria for a toy ride and poker run that will take riders to The Whistle Stop in Lompoc, Maverick in Santa Ynez and The Steelhorse in Los Alamos before returning to Santa Maria's Maverick.

Riders are asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy worth at least $10. Registration begins at 9 a.m. with riders taking off by 10 a.m. A barbecue chicken meal for $6 will begin at 11:30 a.m.

In conjunction with the event, a raffle drawing is planned with multiple prizes, including a Water Wonders fountain, electric scooter, electronics and assorted other items.

"The community has just been awesome in their support," said organizer Teresa Aguilar.

The final phase of the collection effort also includes an urgent plea for volunteers to help screen Toys for Tots recipients from the Santa Maria area on the final day of accepting applications in Santa Maria.

Bilingual speakers are especially needed for the effort, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Atkinson Community Center, 1000 Railroad Ave., according to Hector Gonzalez from Healthy Start.

Volunteers should bring calculators and should arrive at 9:30 a.m. for a brief training session. For information, call 346-8551.

Three weeks remain in the toy collection effort, with drop-off locations around the Central Coast, including more than 85 in the Santa Maria area plus dozens of others dotting locales in south San Luis Obispo County and the Lompoc Valley. Organizers are seeking new unwrapped toys worth at least $10 for newborns to 12-year-olds. Toys typically remain within the community where they were donated.

Among places with drop boxes are branches of CoastHills Federal Credit Union and Mid-State Bank, plus local police departments. For a complete listing, go to the Web site, www.toys4totscentralca.org.

The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve program started in 1947 but locally is spearheaded by former Marines and community members along with local Marine recruiters.

Other upcoming events related to Toys for Tots are:

n Noon to 3 p.m. today at Santa Maria Fire Station No. 1 on Cook Street, where KUHL radio station will conduct a live broadcast as firefighters accept toys.

n A barbecue from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday behind Building 6525, off 13th Street near New Mexico Street at Vandenberg Air Force Base. InDyne and workers from the Space Lift Range Systems contract are organizing what has become an annual event. Lunch costs $7. Money raised will be used to purchase toys, according to organizer Rick Wilson.

n Hot dog sale, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Santa Maria Wal-Mart at the Crossroads Shopping Center, with a portion of the proceeds going to Toys for Tots.

n Second Annual Christmas party, benefitting Toys for Tots and the Food Pantry, Sunday at Sugar Magnolia's, 724 North H St., in Lompoc. Performances at 2 p.m. will be by Denise Yanez & Chris Judge, 3:30 p.m. by Jonathan Wild , 4:30 - 6 p.m. by Rick Tennock & friends. Bring a new unwrapped toy worth $10 or more and some non-perishable food.

n KUHL/KTME Radio will have a live remote from noon to 6 p.m. Dec. 9 to benefit Toys for Tots at the Lompc Wal-Mart. Marine Sgt. Thomas Bustamante will shop for toys with Don Willis. Willis of Wilco, Inc., and George Bedford from Sunset Chevrolet donated money to the Toys for Tots campaign. Santa Claus and a Scout troop will pass out fliers with gift suggestions to shoppers.

n A quarterly safety incentive barbecue for the Atlas 5 construction team on Dec. 10 also will serve as a Toys for Tots event, with workers bringing toys. Hensel-Phelps Construction, which is modifying Space Launch Complex 3-East for the Atlas 5 rocket family, is organizing the event.

n Carrows Restaurant, 1129 North H St. in Lompoc. Dec. 11, bring a new unwrapped toy or book worth $10 and receive a 10-percent discount off a meal. Purchase a pie to be donated in your name to one of the senior centers in the Lompoc area. Those who donate a pie will be entered in a drawing to win either a dinner for two or a pair of holiday pies.

n Wine tasting at 11 a.m. and after the Christmas parade in Old Orcutt Dec. 11 at David Ryan Gallery, 205 E. Clark Ave. in Old Orcutt. Marines will serve Fess Parker and Koehler wines. Admission is a new toy worth at least $10.

n Country music concert by Dierks Bentley at 8 p.m. Dec. 11 at Chumash Casino and Resort. Three Central Coast country music stations - typically competitors - joined forces with the Chumash Casino Resort for this event. More than 1,000 tickets are available through the radio stations for the donation of a toy valued at $10. Lompoc Phone and Wireless Company, 701 W. Central Ave., is handing out tickets (besides radio stations KRAZy Country in the Santa Ynez Valley, Sunny Country in Santa Maria and KJUG in San Luis Obiso, this is the only Toys for Tots location handing out the concert tickets for a toy donation). Toys collected through the concert will be displayed at the Chumash Casino Resort Dec. 11, and later will be redistributed to communities on the Central Coast.

Also, Santa Maria Police Department again offered to pick up toys as available within the city limits. For pick-up, call the department, 928-3781, Ext. 277.

* Associate Editor Janene Scully can be reached at 739-2214 or by e-mail at janscully@pulitzer.net.

Dec. 2, 2004