By LOIS KINDLE
It’s hard to believe Christmas is just around the corner, and the annual South Shore Toys for Tots campaign for the Marine Corps Reserve is underway.
Boxes are out and waiting to be filled at locations all over South Shore.
Century 21 Beggins Enterprises, a main sponsor of the toy drive for the past three years, is among these locations and its main office at 6542 U.S. 41 N, Suite 101, Apollo Beach, will be the collection site where filled boxes will be returned on Dec. 7.
Beggins will also host a free, community-wide party there that same day.
“We want to give back to the community for its generosity, so we’re hosting the party from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. as boxes, toys and monetary donations come in,” said Joy Miller, Century 21 Beggins Enterprises CFO. “If you have a donation and are unable to drop it off, we can come pick it up.”
Open to the general public, the event will include BBQ, hot dogs, burgers, soda and water; Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office motorcycle deputies and bomb squad; Hillsborough County Fire Rescue – Apollo Beach; a Christmas backdrop for family pics; free 360 booth; and vendors giving away goodies for kids. Marines from the 4th Amphibian Assault Battalion at MacDill Air Force Base will also be on hand and, of course, Santa. The Grinch is rumored to possibly be making a special appearance.
Everyone’s invited, so bring your kids, enjoy a meal, take some pictures and have a blast.
Last year, more than 100 boxes of toys, 85 bikes and $10,000 were collected, thanks in large part to Beggins’ agents who placed boxes with businesses they know. Don Pearson, whose company, Pearson Capital, sponsored the South Shore Toys for Tots campaign for 18 years before he retired, donated $5,000.
Rachel Mushow, owner of Rachel’s Family Hair Salon, gathers for a photo with Marines from the 4th Amphibian Assault Battalion at MacDill Air Force Base at the conclusion of the 2023 South Shore Toys for Tots Campaign. Mushow has collected toys for the event for the past 16 years. In 2023, her customers and friends donated seven boxes of toys and six bicycles.
South Shore residents always play a huge part in the drive by donating toys, cash and gift cards to make Christmas possible for kids in need. All residents who sign up for the program in advance get toys.
All donations are taken to a warehouse in South Tampa where they are counted and sorted by age group. If the number of applicants exceeds the total amount of toys collected, the Marines use donations of cash and gift cards to go out and buy them. Categories generally short of gifts include teens and preteens, especially boys.
So while you’re shopping for the holidays, either in person or online, remember to pick up a new, unwrapped toy. It’ll brighten the day of a child who might otherwise have no Christmas.
Partial list of box locations
COURTESY PHOTOS
Elizabeth Courtu, of Apollo Beach, is seen here with her toy donation before placing it in a box at Rachel’s Family Hair Salon during last year’s South Shore Toys for Tots campaign. Last year, the community donated more than 100 boxes of toys, 85 bikes and $10,000.
Century 21 Beggins Enterprise, 6542 U.S. 41 N, Suite 101, Apollo Beach
Century 21 Beggins Enterprise, 701 Del Webb Blvd. W, Sun City Center
Rachel’s Family Salon, 89 Seventh Ave. NE, Suite 1, Ruskin
Century 21 Beggins Enterprises, 6542 U.S. 41 N, Apollo Beach
Southshore Falls Clubhouse, 5831 Cascade Falls Drive, Apollo Beach
Kings Point North and South clubhouses, Sun City Center
Ruskin Seafood Company, 701 U.S. 41 S, Suite D, Ruskin
Grease Monkey, 2003 U.S. 41 S, Ruskin
MiraBay Clubhouse, 207 Point Harbor Lane, Apollo Beach
Ruskin Moose, 1212 E. Shell Point Road, Ruskin
Bass Pro Shops, 10501 Palm River Road, Tampa
For more information or to arrange pick-up of your donation, should you be unable to drop it off yourself, call Ray Monahan, Century 21 Beggins Enterprises real estate agent, at 813-732-2053.