Toys for Tots aims to make spirits bright around Erie County

Festive barrels await toy donations at Rath Building, "Santaland"

For the third year in a row, the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve's "Toys for Tots" campaign has found a holiday home with employees in Erie County office buildings and visitors to this year's "Santaland." It will accept donations of new, unwrapped toys at both locations.

Donation barrels are located throughout the Edward A. Rath county office building and also will be at "Santaland," which will be held Dec. 13-14 at Chestnut Ridge Park.

"Participating in the Toys for Tots campaign is a great way to make the holidays brighter for a child who may not have much joy on Christmas, but will have something to unwrap thanks to the generosity of a stranger. This is the season of giving, so I encourage anyone who can donate a new, unwrapped toy to please do so," Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said. "Once again this year, I am hoping that Erie County employees and the many visitors to 'Santaland' will embrace the holiday spirit, giving freely from their hearts to help make a better holiday for a local child."

The Toys for Tots program collects new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December for distribution as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community. Toys will be collected through Dec. 19 in order to be distributed by Christmas. Over the past two years, the Erie County Toys for Tots outreach effort has collected more than 1,000 toys.