Pictures of Toys for Tots on Ridgena

[LadyRidge]

Well folks, here are the photos as promised.

Todd and I had a blast shopping for someone else's kids instead of our own all the time. It was a real joy. We shopped, then Drew, Todd and myself took all the toys and put them in the back of Ridgena, then bagged them up and took them to the 3/25th Marines Unit in BrookPark, Ohio.

I sent the following story to mayfielh who felt I should share it with all of you.
Thanks to all those who donated and if you didn't get the chance to, it's alright, I'll be back in about a year to do it all again!! ;)

I was out in the vestibule at Wal-Mart waiting for Todd to pick me and the $800.00 worth of toys for T4T today and a little girl walked came in with her Mother wearing tattered clothes and boots with holes in them. She saw the dolls in the cart sticking out of the bags and said "Mommy, baby". The little girls Mother said "maybe Santa will bring you one next year sweetie." I didn't have the heart to walk away without giving her one.

This was mayfielh's response.

Your Wal-Mart story should accompany the pictures tomorrow (or whenever) because she is exactly who those toys were for. Fate, Divine Intervention or Christmas magic call it what you like but you were where you were destined to be at that time and got to spread a little early Christmas cheer.


Now how's that for warm and fuzzy??
It was a pleasure and I can't wait until next year to do it again.

[ridged]

Great story! I'm with mayfielh in supporting your decision. :)

[ridgeln]

JC -

You would have been the biggest grinch in the world if you hadn't given that little girl that doll. You think that this group of folks wouldn't support your decision? You only gave her the doll? Dang. Sounds like she is exactly who deserves the toys.

Great pics - nice to see what the folks of the ROC came through and did.

thanks JC, Todd and the rest of the LadyRidge gang!

-ridgeln

(And Ridged - Nice Job - 300 posts!!!)

[ridged]

thanks JC, Todd and the rest of the LadyRidge gang!
Yeah, I forgot to thank you and yours for all of the effort spent on this campaign. Thanks!

(And Ridged - Nice Job - 300 posts!!!)
Thanks. If they were all worthwhile I would be proud. ;)

Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas!

[swampler]

Nice story, JC and nice load on Ridgena. There will be lots of happy kids on Christmas morning (and one happy one the day you were at Walmart).

[mayfielh]

I'm glad you got a break in the weather so you could get some great pics.

Thank you to everyone that donated. Next year let's plan on beating team scion. Although they did have a bit more spare change after buying a scion :D .

Thanks J.C. for coordinating and shopping I know it was hard for you.;)

[iROC]

Hi JC,

Minerva performed the same service today as a sleigh. Nice pics and am happy to see our money going to such a good cause. It was great of you to do that!

[Toobuku]

Santa should have a cool sleigh like that one! :D

[Webwader]

What a wonderful experience. I wish we all could have been there to share it with you but you did us proud.

[TheRidgester]

Thanks for your time JC ... like others... great choice with the girl at Wal mart!:) Next year we will all have all have a chance to round up a bunch of cash for the drive... 2000 members, if we all save a buck a week from now till then...hmmm thats $104,000.00
Anyone up for the buck a week campain:) :D
If I get 100 takers on the buck a week for 52 weeks ... I'll kick in $104 bucks instead of the $52.00 that $5304.00 ;)

[ridged]

If I get 100 takers on the buck a week for 52 weeks ... I'll kick in $104 bucks instead of the $52.00 that $5304.00 ;)
I'm in! If a savings account is set up for this (to draw interest), I'll fork over the 52 bucks immediately.

-- Rob

[mayfielh]

I'm in and like the savings account idea. Now if we only had someone that had experience with T4T and a PayPal account? Hmmmm:rolleyes:

[Tex's Ridge]

JC, that would have broken my heart if I could not have responded as you did. Wonderful story for Christmas! That would make a great promotional video story line for T4T.

[Kellcut]

Great pics JC.

You could do nothing but give that little girl a doll. What a great Christmas she (and her mother) can now have.

BTW, I'm all in for the buck a week campaign.

[LadyRidge]

I'm in for the buck a week also. :) Great idea Ridgester!!
If we decide to enter the www.scionlife.com contest however, we can't use any of the money we collect before the start date of the contest to be fair. I checked around on a couple other sites during the contest and scion was not very happy that a few other clubs started in the summer and rightfully so. But I see no problem with collecting as much as we can all year long since it's for the kids.
I will be happy to handle this if you would like me to. I should check with TMac first to be sure this is something we can do. I would be happy to set up the donation site but I would like an alternate in case, for some reason, I am able to complete the job myself. ( I don't plan on going anywhere but you never know when my number will be called ) :D It's just good safe business practice.
Any volunteers??

[wv ridgeline]

That's awesome LadyRidge. Good Job!!:D

[T Mac]

Just as a FYI... the EOC had to disqualify 3000 cars this year because we started rallying and collecting before the contest started. If we want to collect toys all year and do our own toy drive, that's fine, but the ScionLife contest has firm start dates (though they may change things a bit next year) and the toys must be Matchboxes or Hotwheels to qualify. Each car = 1 point.

[Webwader]

If the toys must be Matchboxes or Hot Wheels to qualify, I would vote that we just do things on our own. From the looks of LadyRidge's RL, I think the kids that receive our toys will be much happier. Would the little girl in Wal*Mart have said to her mommy "Look, Mommy, a Hot Wheels"?

[LadyRidge]

BTW..I had my Ridgeline Owners Club sweatshirt on when we made the delivery for authentication. :D
Yes, I bought black swampi. LOL :rolleyes:

[swampler]

Yes, I bought black swampi.
:D :cool: 'bout time you see the light, err dark, err light! Doh, you know what I mean. :p

[LadyRidge]

:D :cool: 'bout time you see the light, err dark, err light! Doh, you know what I mean. :p
LOLOLOLOL:p

[UglyTruckling]

I'm glad we did this, and I appreciate all your work to make it so easy for the rest of us, LadyRidge. You know the true meaning of Christmas, it seems....

But... is there someway of spreading the contributions from east to west? I'm all for doing this again next year, but will likely spend more of my $$ on more local charities. If there was a way we could evenly distribute the year's contributions to Toys For Tots drives in more than one area, we might get more contributors here on the ROC.

Just a suggestion....

[LadyRidge]

Good suggestion and I'm open to anything. :)
ANY suggestions on how we can spread the love???

[arteegee]

Pictures wouldn't have been as good if it was all Hotwheels.;)

[ridged]

If we decide to enter the www.scionlife.com contest however, we can't use any of the money we collect before the start date of the contest to be fair. I checked around on a couple other sites during the contest and scion was not very happy that a few other clubs started in the summer and rightfully so. But I see no problem with collecting as much as we can all year long since it's for the kids.

Just as a FYI... the EOC had to disqualify 3000 cars this year because we started rallying and collecting before the contest started. If we want to collect toys all year and do our own toy drive, that's fine, but the ScionLife contest has firm start dates (though they may change things a bit next year) and the toys must be Matchboxes or Hotwheels to qualify. Each car = 1 point.

While it would be nice to win a contest, I hope that we don't lose sight of the real goal - Toys For Tots. With that said, if we can collect a huge amount of money and win the contest as a consequence, it would be a nice feather in the ROC ball cap. We don't need to rush into anything so I propose that we allow some time to tap the collective wisdom of this forum's participants and come up with a plan that will best serve the goal(s) and wishes of the donors. :)

[LadyRidge]

While it would be nice to win a contest, I hope that we don't lose sight of the real goal - Toys For Tots. With that said, if we can collect a huge amount of money and win the contest as a consequence, it would be a nice feather in the ROC ball cap. We don't need to rush into anything so I propose that we allow some time to tap the collective wisdom of this forum's participants and come up with a plan that will best serve the goal(s) and wishes of the donors. :)
Well said my friend. :)

[Truckin']

Great photo of all the toys and that story of the little girl was touching. I'm not interested in donating to a hot wheels only campaign.

[Kellcut]

If the toys must be Matchboxes or Hot Wheels to qualify, I would vote that we just do things on our own. From the looks of LadyRidge's RL, I think the kids that receive our toys will be much happier. Would the little girl in Wal*Mart have said to her mommy "Look, Mommy, a Hot Wheels"?

I totally agree wtih Webwader. I don't particularly care if we win a contest, it's all about the kids. Not every kid wants a Matchbox or HotWheels car.

[Oddjob]

Great pics Ladyridge. Keep up the Great Work!! :) I'm in for the buck a week. As soon as it is set up let me know.:)