We’ve had a challenging year, but we have garnered tremendous support in the community. For Christmas and the Holidays we partnered once again with Anamarie Avila Farias (center), our local State Assemblymember, her staff, and a few other local leaders including Greg Young from the Martinez City Council (Santa), and three members of the Concord City Council.
We raised money for 500 holiday stockings and brought our Marine Corps Toys for Tots allocation, the latter being very impressive this year. While waiting, Sean and I discussed our program with some of the sergeants; I think we got about 4-times the original allotment and may have one of the Gunnery Sergeants join us as a guest coach.
I also invited a model train club to run my holiday train display; this was a huge hit with young and old, especially some of the local leaders. Anamarie is a big train buff!
On Friday evening, we stuffed the stockings. On Saturday we had a large turnout of families in need, where every child got a toy and a stocking. 76 special stockings are going to the incarcerated youth at Juvenile Hall; more are being distributed by Juvenile Probation Officers, directly to families in their at-home programs. We also delivered toys and stockings to Contra Costa Foster Friends and the Mountain View Family Shelter.
Happy Holidays!!!
