Toys for Tots under way in Hartselle

By Staff
Tracy B. Cieniewicz, Hartselle Enquirer
Hartselle Fire Chief Ricky Joe Smith said Hartselle residents and merchants have had Toys for Tots boxes "running over" with donations in the past, and he expects the same great turnout this year.
Dec. 18 marks the tentative end to Hartselle's third annual Toys for Tots campaign, sponsored by the U.S. Marine Corps. Smith said new, unwrapped toys may be dropped at Fire Station 1 on Main Street or at Station 2 at the intersection of Crestline and Main Street West.
Toys will be distributed to needy children across 11 Alabama counties during Christmas.
Smith said even tough times are tough economically for many this year, he still believes people will open their hearts and contribute to this worthy cause.
"A lot of children might not get anything for Christmas," Smith said. "How would you like to be six-years-old and wake up on Christmas morning with nothing under your tree? It's not the price of the toy, but the thought behind it that counts."
The Marines' chief community relations event, Toys for Tots has collected and distributed more than 257 million toys. An average of 8 million toys are distributed to more than 4 million children annually.