Marine Veterans Spread Christmas Cheer As Toys For Tots Volunteers

Jacqueline Sit, News 9

OKLAHOMA CITY – A group of Oklahoma Marine veterans turned Toys for Tots volunteers made sure needy metro children would have a special Christmas Saturday.

At the donation center, there were mountains and toys and boxes piled high with presents sure to fill children's wish lists. But one 10-year-old kid, CJ Riek, wasn't looking for himself, but for perfect gifts to give others.

He teamed up with Sgt. Robert Blair, a Marine Toys for Tots volunteer, to make someone's Christmas a special one.

"We got five kids and we tried to give them two items a piece. Each section here is divided by age group so we go through there and pick. He's [CJ Riek] pretty good picking out the kid's toys said," said Sgt. Blair.

"It's insane the hardship that people go through and how much of a difference a marine can make just by giving them some toys and put a smile on their face for Christmas," said Sgt. Elijah Dixon, a Marine toys for Tots volunteer.

Veterans who served in Korea and World War II are now serving thousands right at home.

"It's something we need to do to give these children something to make Christmas a lot happier, and we enjoy doing it," said Toys for Tots volunteer Harry Dell.

The toys will give many metro children a Christmas this year and for a Marine, that's the biggest present of all.

"Being able to get out there and see the look on those kids faces, if that one kid is happy, then we're good," said Sgt. Dixon.

Almost 3,0000 thousand families went through the Marine Toys for Tots drive Saturday morning. Toys for Tots will be helping about 45,000 families in the metro this holiday.