PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – It's literally a "toy drive." Local 10 teamed up with Big Bus Miami to drive across South Florida and collect new, unwrapped toys for Toys For Tots.
On Friday, Dec. 12, our "Big Bus Toy Express" started its route at 6 a.m. The One & Only Local 10 News' Todd Tongen and Kristi Krueger were the ride-along hosts. The Christmas Palace decorated the bus with twinkling lights and bows.
The bus made several stops from Hialeah to Coral Springs. By 5 p.m., the Big Bus Toy Express had collected 2,444. Just thirty minutes later, the number of toys had gone up about 30 percent.
"The bus is full with about 3,000 toys," Krueger said after leaving Coral Springs. The bus was on its way to Las Olas about 6:30 p.m. when it encountered some traffic.
Krueger was on her way to meet Santa Claus in Fort Lauderdale for a grand party and back home to Local 10 News studios, where the Toys for Tots trucks were waiting in Pembroke Park.
Earlier, a children's choir brought the sounds of the holiday season. At the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Boulevard, there was dancing and music.
Each stop had magical surprises, as the generosity continued. Viewers brought even bicycles and a man arrived in a large vehicle filled with toys.The U.S. Marine Corps escorted the bus.
After two companies dropped out of the commitment to donate toys, the foundation was experiencing a shortage.
Local 10 News was encouraging viewers to contribute to the holiday season mission that has helped so many children in need through the years
At the end of the day, Local 10 News collected at least 6,000 toys for Toys for Tots.
"All of these thousands and thousands of toys are going to be distributed to about 150 organizations across South Florida," Krueger said, as Local 10 News staff unloaded the toys from the bus.
Some of the large donations came from Toys "R" Us and the Miami Marlins.
"Thanks to you our viewers for making this holiday season so much brighter for our children," Krueger said after the long journey of generosity.
INSPIRING MISSION
It all began in 1947 when Major Bill Hendricks held the first Toys for Tots and collected 5,000 toys in Los Angeles, California. He died in 1992.
Walt Disney designed the now famous Toys for Tots train logo. Oscar winning song writers Sammy Fain and Paul Webster composed the Toy for Tots theme song.
Toys for Tots first went international following the catastrophic typhoon that devastated the city of Nagoya, Japan, in 1959. Panama followed during the invasion in 1988 and the Caribbean after Hurricane Hugo in 1989.
Toys for Tots provided over 2,500,000 toys to kids in Florida and Louisiana, after Hurricane Andrew.
In 1995, the Secretary of Defense approved Toys for Tots as an official activity of the U. S. Marine Corps.
In 1999, the foundation beat a record with an estimated 13.7 million toys that were distributed to about 5.9 children in need.
A year later, the number went up to 15.8 million toys were distributed to 6.3 million children.
In 2005, the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance reported Toys for Tots was designated as an accredited charity.
Over the life span of the foundation, Toys for Tots has distributed over 469 million toys to over 216 million less fortunate children.
The number of toys collected over the years and they smiles that they continue to bring during the holiday season, continues has had an increasing trend over the years.
MORE DONATIONS WELCOMED: Toys for Tots welcomes donations from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at their warehouse, 186550 NW 62 Ave., in Hialeah. Non-profit organizations to pick up toys Dec. 17th.