Goodfellows: Antlers vs. Hats makes children the winners
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Jackie Curtis of Pitcairn hands Randy Winslow of Penn Hills a toy as volunteers from CVS Caremark help sort toys for Toys for Tots at Guardian Storage Solutions in the Strip District.
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As rivalries go, Antlers vs. Hats doesn't generate the ferocity of, say, Steelers vs. Ravens.
But the two teams, one wearing decorative holiday antlers and the other in red Santa hats, had a friendly competition last week driven by a common purpose -- to bring Christmas joy to the hearts of underprivileged children.
About 20 employees of the CVS Caremark call center in Monroeville gathered at the Marine Corps Toys for Tots warehouse in the Strip District. They helped sort thousands of toys that will be picked up by more than 100 charitable groups and distributed to needy families by Christmas Day.
"It feels good to be able to provide something to a child who may not have anything on Christmas," said Mandi Steiner of Cadogan, Armstrong County, proud member of the Antlers team, which vied with the Hats to be the most productive in a two-hour volunteer session.
The size of the task facing the Marines from Military Police Company Bravo, based in North Versailles, and the scores of volunteers who visit the warehouse during the holiday season, is evident from a look around.
In space donated by Guardian Storage Solutions are thousands of toys -- dolls, toy trucks and buses, stuffed animals, Play-Doh sets, Fisher-Price gadgets for toddlers, and games, including old favorites like Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders.
"It's really nice to see the amount of stuff that has been donated," Ms. Steiner said.
The Marines start the campaign in early October, aided by donations to the Goodfellows Fund of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Contributions to Goodfellows fuel the Toys for Tots effort that is expected to deliver 150,000 gifts to youngsters this season.
"Every year we do this. We start very early," said Marine Sergeant Philip Elko of Beaver County, who recently returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan.
The Marines buy toys and solicit toy donations from numerous businesses and charitable groups and marshal them at the warehouse, sorting them by age and gender and packing them up for pickup by groups that serve the needy. They also will host open houses at the warehouse on Friday and Saturday for needy families that haven't made arrangements with other providers.
Overseeing it is Corporal Rachel Hart, a Tennessee native who enlisted in 2007 and who has been in Pittsburgh since June 2009. Her military manner gives way to unbridled enthusiasm as she directs the operation, answering frequent cell phone calls: "Toys for Tots. Cpl. Hart speaking."
"It's something different. Real different," she said of her assignment.
At the warehouse, Marine power is augmented with volunteers recruited by Pittsburgh Cares, a nonprofit that is devoted to promoting volunteerism in the region. Fifty-five groups, including schools, businesses and churches, are assisting this year's effort, said Amanda Trocki, corporate programs assistant with the organization.
CVS Caremark is in its second year of volunteering and also conducts a toy drive each year, said Jen Guerrini of Lower Burrell, who captained the Antlers-Hats showdown. "It was a fantastic experience last year. Our time was well spent.
"There's always competition among us," she added. "We like to have fun."
Mr. Elko said toy donations have been robust, in spite of the continuing weak economy. The Stuff-a-Bus campaign for Toys for Tots conducted by radio station 96.1 KISS-FM produced 21 busloads of toys -- 7,313 in all, up from about 16 busloads last year, he said.
But the need is greater, too.
"I think people know that it's bad," he said. "Pittsburgh is known to be one of the most generous cities. One guy called and said, 'My wife and I went out and bought $200 worth of toys. Where can we drop them off?' We get calls like that constantly."
Since 1947, Goodfellows has made a holiday goal of ensuring that no child arises on Christmas morning without toys under the tree. You can join the Marines, the Antlers and Hats and so many others that make this effort an annual success. Make a tax-deductible donation to the Goodfellows Fund by using the coupon on this page or online at www.post-gazette.com/goodfellows.
Every donation is acknowledged in the newspaper.
How to get toys
The Toys for Tots program will hold open houses this week to distribute toys to parents and guardians of needy children.
They will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Guardian Storage Solutions, 2839 Liberty Ave., Strip District. Parents and guardians should bring a photo ID for themselves, a birth certificate for each child (children up to age 12 are eligible) and proof of need -- welfare check stub, food stamp card or other proof of government assistance.
Total donations: $4,871
Grand total: $35,487.90
Anonymous $250
Mc. Mary A. McDonough $250
Carl and Laurie Rogers $150
Anonymous $150
In loving memory of Hedwig Bransky $131
In memory of Elizabeth Gillen $100
Virginia Lukehart $100
Antonio and Laura Cassara $100
Dan Sentz & Maureen Hogan $100
Jeff and Lee Ann Steimer $100
Jeffrey Hansen and Patricia Loring $100
Eileen Gelet $100
Edward & Megan Miller $100
Anonymous $100
Teresa M. Walton $75
Mr. & Mrs. George Spilka $75
Veronica Volcheck $60
Linda Padget $50
Karen and Leo $50
Davis family - Jim, Sally and Ryan $50
In memory of Cleo $50
In memory of Frosty the snowcat $50
In loving memory of Dolores Rieder $50
James Skidmore $50
Bill & Sue Swartout $50
In memory of Michael A Wagner $50
Kestners $50
John Reiland $50
Caroline Hellwig $50
Kathy Dodgson $50
Patricia A. Blistan $50
Mr. & Mrs. James Snyder $50
Marge Tsudis $50
Anonymous $50
Zanardelli family $50
James Stafford $50
Lorraine Eglberger $50
Steve Salmieri $50
Ruth and Jack Leddy $40
Paul Och $40
Anonymous $40
In memory of Ed & Michael Kelly $40
In memory of Raymond Bowland $40
Ronald Gratzinger $35
Tom and Kelly Haley $30
Stubbs Family $30
In memory of Joseph Medfisch $30
Rae and Wen-Ching Yang $30
Anonymous $30
Bruce and Nancy Christpher $30
Diana Pacino $ 30
H. O. Buck $30
Ed & Shirlee Nelson $30
The Harrisons $30
John W.Chapas II $30
Mike & Mark Bagnato $30
Ron & Karen Bakalarski $25
Marianne Taylor $25
Connie Rush $25
Bill & Dianna Paul $25
Anonymous $25
Joan Woods $25
Agnes Lewandoski $25
George Rose $25
The Milanovich's $25
Gerard & Diane Patterson $25
Lorinda Hayes $25
In memory of Genevieve Fiedor from daughter Marie Miller $25
George & Patty Buerger $25
In memory of Elizabeth K. Sipe $25
William Wycoff $25
Sandie Scott $25
In honor of President Barack Obama $25
Bonnnie Domagala $25
Garnet Hoffman $25
Amy Parker $25
Patricia Wooten $25
Susan Willis $25
J. Bergman $25
H. & D. Watson $25
In memory of Mary Grace Blacka $25
Joe Takacs $25
William Novak $25
Ronald and Louise Countryman $25
Kate Weiland $25
Garlock family, in honor of Gunnar's birthday $25
George Skarpentzos $25
Anonymous $25
Mrs. E.R. Young $25
Marlene Speranza $25
In memory of Lynne Faigen $25
Donald Joseph Walsh $25
Jean and Herman Osso $25
Dolores Smith $25
In memory of Frank & Kathryn Pope $20
In memory of Mary Daggett $20
Barry L. Miller $20
B. Jucha $20
Roberta Charles $20
Janet Eisenbach $20
Anonymous $20
Eileen Louis $15
In memory of Mum, Dad, Pat and B.B. $15
Mary E. Zyglowicz $15
Ann Connor $10
R. Lerch $10
Sharon Blackwell $10
Mr. Harold Segal $10
Mr. Louis Wassermann $5
In memory of Leslie Nielsen $5
First Published December 13, 2010 12:00 am
