CARLSBAD — An anonymous donor, who annually gives thousands of dollars of toys to Toys for Tots during the holidays, kept the tradition going this year, upping the donation to over $120,000.
On Nov. 9, volunteers from the Marine Corps filled two U-Haul trucks full of over 3,500 toys from Geppetto’s Toy Store at The Forum in Carlsbad.
The first donation in 2018 was $50,000 and went through Geppetto’s Del Mar location. The donor increases the amount each year.
“It’s just amazing,” said Geppetto’s owner Brian Miller.
Miller said the shop has to plan well in advance for the big donation, ordering boxes full of toys that stay sealed until they can be transferred directly into the donation truck. Then, local community organizations distribute the toys after sorting them by gender and age.
This year, the donor requested that each volunteer Marine select a toy to be added to the donation pile. Many selected toys from their childhood or toys that are popular amongst children today, from Legos and Hot Wheels to children’s books.
