In an effort to grant the holiday wishes of the children of Upper Keys, a group of elves is organizing a local gift drive.
GySgt. Lou Gunny Slagle, USMC (Ret), has been in charge of the U.S. Marine Corps Florida Keys Toys for Tots campaign for the past 19 years. Tens of thousands of gifts were delivered to houses from Key Largo to Key West in time for children to open on Christmas morning, thanks to the efforts of coordinators and a community of kind donors.
However, this year’s local drive-through Toys for Tots was canceled due to a shortage of support workers.
On December 3, Slagle told Keys Weekly, “It breaks my heart.” Nineteen years ago, I took over in Monroe County.
About 88,000 children in Monroe County got a present through Toys for Tots between 2013 and 2023, according to Slagle.
Slagle, who will turn 76 next week, said the program has been great over the years. That one toy is all you need.
Since then, community members and local fire departments have taken up the management of the holiday toy drive. Terry Abel, the fire chief, and Sharon Mahoney, the village mayor, are in charge of gathering unopened items for children in Islamorada and Tavernier.
We are contacting daycare centers, educational institutions, and places of worship to inquire whether they have children in need of a gift and, if so, how many, what age range, and what they would like. “Abel said.”
Several establishments in the village, including Mahoney’s Enchanted Forest store at MM 82.8, have given out boxes.
Mahoney stated, “I’m really hoping to collect a lot of unwrapped gifts for the kids this year.”
On Friday, December 6, Mahoney will be gathering unwrapped presents at Islamorada’s annual Holiday Fest. Community members can drop off unopened toys at a tent that will be erected near the park’s entrance. In addition, Mahoney is holding a toy drop-off event outside her floral business on Saturday, December 7 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be refreshments and a fire department presence.
On Sunday, December 15, the fire department will lead Santa Claus and his elves through several Islamorada neighborhoods in a joyous parade, and unwrapped toys will also be gathered.
Gifts can be left at the following locations in Islamorada and Tavernier in addition to Mahoney’s shop: Islamorada Brewery & Distillery, MM 82.2; Centennial Bank, MM 81.5; First Horizon Bank, MM 80.9 and MM 91.9; SouthState Bank, MM 91.3; Islamorada Moose Lodge, MM 81.5; Winn Dixie in Tavernier; and three Islamorada fire stations.
The Key Largo Fire Department and a number of companies are organizing a similar holiday toy drive in Key Largo. All contributions will be given to underprivileged local families via St. Justin Martyr Church, located at 105500 Overseas Highway.
Unwrapped gifts can be dropped off at the following locations: Shear Paradise, MM 99.5; Centennial Bank, MM 100.2; Key Largo Urgent Care, MM 100.4; Caribbean Club, MM 104, bayside; Montessori Academy of the Upper Keys, 5 Transylvania Ave.; and the establishments at the Tradewinds Shopping Center: Florida Keys Windows, UPS Store, T&T Nails, and Cirque Salon Studios. Additionally, unwrapped gifts can be dropped off at Fire Station 25 (220 Reef Dr.; MM 106) and Key Largo Fire Station 24, 1 East Dr. (MM 99).
According to Abel, he hopes that a former US Marine will be able to lead the Toys for Tots campaign in the Florida Keys the following year.
We have a group that is eager to assist, but a Marine member must fund it, he stated. We can’t do Toys for Tots without a coordinator.
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