(click on photo to see more pictures)

At 9 a.m. on Thursday, Dec 9th, two Marines from the Northgate Mall Armed Forces Recruiting Center arrived at the 3GI Sports store in Crown Hill to pick up 76 deflated soccer balls generously donated by a local man.

“I really hope that his action stimulates others to donate to Toys for Tots’” said Susan Riley, friend of the donor.


Toys for Tots is a U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Program dedicated to collecting new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community.

The donor, an ex-navy who has lived in the area for 25 years, decided to donate soccer balls because “soccer is the greatest sport in the world,” his wife said.

“We hope they go to a proper place,” said the donor. “Not the greedy but the needy.”

Sergeant Aldridge said that the recruiting office’s job is to collect the toys and send them to the Fort Lewis reserve Center from which the toys get distributed.

The 3Gi manager contributed by paying all the taxes and offering a discount to the donor.

“Now that’s the community spirit,” Riley said.

Sergeant Aldridge said anyone is welcome to drop off toys at the Armed Forces Recruiting Center in Northgate Mall or give them a call for the marines to come and collect the toys. Whether it's a little plastic GI Joe doll or a big donation, everything is appreciated, he said.

More information about Toys for Tots can be found at http://www.toysfortots.org.