Toys For Tots Has Put Tough Guys In Play
Published: Nov 30, 2006
WESLEY CHAPEL - It is practically blasphemous to suggest that any Marine anywhere was ever at the mercy of events or the generosity of strangers. Marines are warriors, action figures who never need their batteries changed.
Marines take the beach, the hill, the building where the snipers lurk and never think twice about the cost or consequences. Waiting becomes a Marine the way an accordion becomes a duck. Moreover, a Marine is trained to rely only on another Marine.
They'll let a crew of Navy men shuttle them from here to there, if there's a particularly large body of water to cross, but they're perfectly capable of paddling the distance themselves if that's what the commandant orders. After all, it is the Marine Corps motto that the difficult they do immediately; the impossible takes a little time.
Nonetheless, when three aging Marines, their active-duty days far behind them, sat down for lunch Wednesday, there was nothing on their minds quite so much as Saturday's critical events - events that are beyond their control or even influence. Saturday is, after all, the central moment in this year's Marine Corps Reserve's Toys for Tots campaign: the annual countywide toy pickup by postal workers.
With so much riding on Saturday's haul, the gang of three - east Pasco County coordinator Bob Loring, his counterpart in the west, E.J. Koczur, and the west's immediate past director, Charlie Salvaggio - were left to wonder this: How will residents of a county the old Marines uniformly agree are friendly and generous demonstrate evidence of both when mail carriers return from their appointed rounds?
Advance, Advance, Advance
"The post office drive will take care of everything," Loring says with persuasive serenity, residue from a series of impressively successful first Saturdays in December. Still, it's hard to decide whether you would prefer to have him connected to a blood pressure monitor or a lie detector to get a clearer idea of his convictions.
Like the retired but unretiring general in "White Christmas" who had invested everything in a Vermont inn where it simply refused to snow, Loring evinces nothing so much as an attitude of full speed ahead. Again, this represents classic Marine behavior: When everything else is beyond your control, control your disposition.
Thus do the three look forward to Saturday's windfall with studied optimism. If we come through as expected, they are ready to do the rest.
Koczur, a retired police officer from Waterbury, Conn., who did 11 years in the Pasco County school system as a substitute teacher, will draw on a vast supply of built-in volunteers: The west Pasco detachment of the Marine Corps League, based in Holiday, boasts 500 members - regular (Marines, retired Marines and so-called "former" Marines) and social (retired or honorably discharged veterans of other military branches) - who do much of the heavy lifting.
When they convene at Mitchell High School for distribution day - Dec. 16 - they will be aided by Boy Scouts, JROTC cadets from five westside high schools and about 40 Pasco-Hernando Community College students.
Here Come The Girl Scouts
Though east Pasco's detachment is newer and somewhat smaller, Loring does not lack for help. Off-duty firefighters are picking up the contents of 150 Toys for Tots collection boxes distributed east of U.S. 41. As postal workers return Saturday, their trucks will be unloaded by Girl Scouts. "I've always wanted to figure out a way to get them involved," Loring says. The opportunity to go unconventional arose when Loring learned east Pasco Boy Scouts would be attending a jamboree this weekend.
Together - and it's not understating things to say that may be the most welcome aspect of this year's drive - the east and west chapters expect to serve at least 2,500 families, accounting for more than 7,500 underprivileged youngsters.
Though not exactly coordinating their efforts, Loring and Koczur have formed a loose alliance born of mutual respect and the shared goal of having at least one more toy than they have children to serve.
And we can help. Before the letter carrier arrives Saturday, put a new, un-gift-wrapped toy (or four) by your mailbox. Particular needs are for newborns to toddlers and for teens. Resist the urge to fill a bag with stuffed animals; instead, think in terms of sports equipment (for older children, girls included), action figures, educational toys, board games and, for teens, moderately priced electronics, particularly hand-held devices and games.
You know the drill. It's time to help the Marines help the little ones.
