Transit Toy Drive Collects More Than 400 Toys for Kids

By

December 16, 2010

The holiday season will be brighter for hundreds of children thanks to the generosity of people who donated toys to the San Mateo County Transit District’s Transit Toy Drive.

In conjunction with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots program and the Salvation Army, the Transit Toy Drive received a total of 444 new donated toys and books.

Budget issues forced the suspension of the annual Holiday Train this year. However, Transit District officials felt it was important to host a smaller-scale goodwill event for families in need, and maintain the community partnership built with the Salvation Army and the Marines over the past 10 years.

Transit District employees collected toys from Nov. 8 to Dec. 6, and held a public toy drive celebration at the District’s headquarters in San Carlos on Friday, Dec. 3.

Those in attendance were treated to holiday music from the West Bay Community Band and treats from Raison d’Etre Bakery in South San Francisco. Children and their families mingled with Santa and Mrs. Claus along with some of their North Pole friends, including Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman. Peterson Technical Services provided lighting and a generator for the event.

In addition, the Peninsula Youth Orchestra donated two bags of toys collected from their recent winter concert, and two toy bins were filled and collected from San Carlos City Hall.

Although the future of the Holiday Train is still unknown, it is the Transit District’s hope to bring it back next year.




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The San Mateo County Transit District is the administrative body for the principal public transit and transportation programs in San Mateo County: SamTrans bus service including Redi-Wheels paratransit service, Caltrain commuter rail and the San Mateo County Transportation Authority. Caltrain and the TA have contracted with the Transit District to serve as their managing agency, under the direction of their independent board of directors.