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Business & Tech

Prairie Ridge High School Collects for Toys for Tots

Prairie Ridge High School seniors include Toys for Tots to give back to the community.

Prairie Ridge High School seniors collected toys for the annual U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots Foundation coordinated by Marine Corps League McHenry County Detachment No. 1009 this holiday season.

This was the first year the senior class selected Toys for Tots for one of its senior outreach efforts. Frank Klingl, responsible for distributing collection boxes and picking up donations in Crystal Lake, said the school alone collected approximately 400 toys for needy children in McHenry County from Nov. 1 through Dec. 17, the last day of school before the holiday break.

Students pitched in through a variety of ways, said Senior Class Advisor and math teacher Jamie Buck. The National Honor Society, the cheerleading squad, the student council and the annual winter formal event collected donations. Members of the community dropped off donations at the box located just inside the school's main entrance.

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"I feel like this really helps a lot of families out there, especially in this economy," said senior Abby Dowell.

Senior Class Advisor Jamie Buck said two years ago the Senior Class Program expanded to include giving to the community at large as well as the school. This year students collected over 3,000 lbs. of food for area food pantries as well.

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Last year seniors collected donations for food pantries, raised $1,500 for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, $4,000 to a bone marrow organization and provided landscaping improvements on the high school's grounds.

"This is our next step; doing Toys for Tots to help the community," Buck said.

Klingl said last year he placed 30 Toys for Tots boxes throughout Crystal Lake; this year he had 40 establishments requesting the boxes.

"Every toy we get is appreciated and we try and help as many people as possible," he said.

Country Donuts owner Larry Swanson said the restaurant has been collecting donations for the past 15 years. A large box had recently been picked up by Klingl that was overflowing with toys. Three boxes had already been picked up between Nov. 1 and Dec. 15.

"We get pretty good participation by people," he said. "We're open 24 hours a day so that helps."

Julia O'Grady, owner of O'Grady's Barber Shop, said clients are very generous about bringing in new toys.

"This is a compassionate community," she said. "It's very nice for the kids."

The U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots Program strives to provide new toys as Christmas gifts to underprivileged children locally where campaigns are held. Started in 1947 by Major Bill Hendricks in Los Angeles, Calif., in 1948 the program expanded nationwide.

There's still time to make donations to the foundation. Toys must be new and in original packaging and unwrapped; stuffed animals are not recommended.

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