Joliet Tradesmen, Unions Help 8,000 Kids: Toys For Tots

JOLIET, IL — At least $10,000 in donated toys plus another $34,000 cash donations were being put to good use Friday at the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves Center in Joliet on McDonough Street. On Friday afternoon, more than 20 building contractors, tradesmen and local unions including Jackson Energy and Kiewit participated in the Toys for Tots drive.

Around 2 p.m., the group left the McDonough Street center and headed to the Joliet Walmart store on Route 59 and the Target on Route 59 to purchase hundreds of more toys with the $34,000 in cash donations.

U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Christopher Mitchell, who is pictured at the bottom of this article, told Joliet Patch's editor that the Marines are working with 33 local nonprofit organizations to distribute the toys between now and Dec. 19.

The toys are being distributed to children ranging from infants to teenagers.

Most importantly, all of the toys are staying local, he said. Nearly 8,000 children in Will, Kendall and Grundy Counties are receiving the gifts courtesy of the Marines Toys for Tots program.

Before the group headed out to Target and Walmart, organizers told the group to use their discretion when purchasing toys, reminding them that buying one super expensive toy is probably the equivalent of not buying 40 smaller toys that could have a more wide-ranging impact.

Volunteers were encouraged to purchase items for kids such as crafts, electronics and bicycles as well as footballs, baseball gloves, basketballs and soccer balls.