LJWorld.com

Photo by John Henry

Marine Sgt. John Kern, left, collects a gift from the Willits family, from left, Pam, Larry, Jerred, 3, Nick, 10, and Jonah, 6, at the Drive for 500 event for Toys for Tots at Kansas University's Dole Institute of Politics.

Pam Madaus hopes her 6-year-old daughter, Rebecca, grows up with a charitable heart. That's why she brought her Sunday to Kansas University's Dole Institute for Politics for the annual Drive for 500, a gift drive run by the Marine Corps Reserve's Toys for Tots program.

"For me, it's very important for my daughter to see the giving aspect," Madaus, of Shawnee, said. "We do it so Rebecca can see people giving to charity and hopefully do that for the rest of her life."

Mary Jones, coordinator for Douglas County Toys for Tots, said the toy drive was designed to bring in 500 toys and monetary donations for the organization. A silent auction was also expected to raise more than $1,000.

"The Marines Corps established this program 60 years ago to give children hope, the hope of a shiny new toy, so we are just trying to keep the tradition going," Jones said.

Three uniformed Marines from Topeka were on hand to talk to visitors and to monitor the boxes overflowing with donations of teddy bears, action figures, board games and more.

Sgt. John Kern, of Topeka, said that he and his fellow Marines enjoyed participating in the program because it gave them a chance to personally help people for whom they fight on the battlefield.

The Toys for Tots program is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, and this was the fourth year the Drive for 500 was held at the Dole Institute.

Jones said the toys collected from the Drive for 500 would be counted at the end of the event. Then they will be taken to a toy distribution center at the Douglas County 4-H Fairgrounds, where they will be given to families beginning Thursday.

Because of several nationwide recalls of toys this year for safety issues, most notably lead-paint contamination, Toys for Tots, the Salvation Army and other social service agencies participating in the local Holiday Bureau are making sure none of the donated toys are on the hazard list.

"This year we're working real hard with this recall," Jones said. "We'll be checking toys and we encourage parents to check the toys, too."

She said last year's drive brought in about 6,500 toys, which were distributed to 1,300 area children. Toys for Tots is accepting donations of toys and money for the next two weeks.

Jones said donation boxes can be found all over Lawrence, including at Wal-Mart, Hy-Vee stores, and several car dealerships and real estate offices. She advised people to look for Toys for Tots signs at area businesses, denoting collection points.

Children up to age 17 are eligible to receive toys, and Jones encouraged families who want to participate in the program to call her at (785) 766-3023.