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YourHub.com \\ The Valley \\ Stories \\ Holidays \\ Christmas

Toy drives bring smiles to many

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Contributed by: Mark Kellam on 12/24/2007

Following is a compilation of some of the stories about area toy drives posted to valleynews.com.

* - The Metrolink Holiday Toy Express wound its way through the Antelope Valley on Dec. 15, making stops in Palmdale and Lancaster.

The 450-ton train was decorated with 50,000 twinkling lights and animated displays. It also featured a free stage show with Santa and all his friends from the North Pole.

At each stop on the train's route, firefighters collected toys for their Spark of Love Toy Drive.

All the donated toys were delivered to children in the cities where they were collected.

* - The city of Palmdale donated hundreds of toys to the South Antelope Valley Emergency Services and the Spark of Love Toy Drive.

The toys for Spark of Love were taken to the Palmdale Transportation Center, where they were donated at the Holiday Toy Express event.

* - The Burbank Fire Department, as part of its Spark of Love Toy Drive, donated its items to needy families through the Burbank Temporary Aid Center's "Santa's Room" project.

Last year, the center was able to deliver more than 2,650 toys to needy children in Burbank, thanks to the generosity of firefighters as well as of residents, community groups and businesses.

* - Employees at Antelope Valley Hospital donated 198 bikes to Toys for Tots.
The hospital has sponsored a bike drive the past five years, and employees try to top the number of bikes donated the previous year.

They accomplished that goal and then some this year. Last year, the hospital donated 81 bikes.

* - The City of Lancaster also supported Toys for Tots, which is sponsored by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.

Several city employees, who are also Marine Corps Reservists, took the lead in placing the collection bins at city facilities all over Lancaster.

[* - Among area schools, High Tech High in Lake Balboa held its first toy and food drive, collecting 268 toys and 1,536 cans of food.

They were donated to MEND in Pacoima and Juan's Angel Foundation to help kids in Jalisco, Mexico.

"For a school of 300, we really showed how much we care about the community," said teacher Rebecca Guevara, who, along with fellow teacher Katy Perkins, organized the inaugural drive.

* - The student council at Taft High School in Woodland Hills collected 1,500 toys this year and donated them to students at Pacoima Elementary.
Taft students wrapped each present and they were delivered by Santa Claus himself.

* - Fourth- and fifth-graders at Pinecrest School in Woodland Hills collected 520 toys to be donated to the Foy Toy Drive, which has a goal of distributing 20,000 toys to several Southern California charities this holiday season.

Initially, the students were going to hold a gift exchange among themselves. However, when the toy drive came along and the children were given a choice, they unanimously agreed to forego the gift exchange and take part in the toy drive.

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