Marine detachment delivers toys, bikes to Holiday House

December 16, 2017 8:00 am
Evan Thompson / The Record — Members of Col. Richard “Buck” Francisco Marine Corps League Detachment 1451 and Readiness to Learn Foundation Executive Director Gail LaVassar pose for a photo. From left to right, back row: Ed Donery, LaVassar, Greg Shewring, Joseph Johnson Jr., Don Nelson and Frank Thornton. Front row: Tom Keltner and Dennis Phillips.
Evan Thompson / The Record — Members of Col. Richard “Buck” Francisco Marine Corps League Detachment 1451 and Readiness to Learn Foundation Executive Director Gail LaVassar pose for a photo. From left to right, back row: Ed Donery, LaVassar, Greg Shewring, Joseph Johnson Jr., Don Nelson and Frank Thornton. Front row: Tom Keltner and Dennis Phillips.

Members of Col. Richard “Buck” Francisco Marine Corps League Detachment 1451 made its biggest delivery to Holiday House on Tuesday afternoon.

The former Marines dropped off bicycles, toys and gifts that will be provided to needy families for free at Langley Middle School, also known as the South Whidbey Community Center. They made a smaller delivery to stock the shelves of Holiday House on Monday. Low-income families are able to shop for presents and wrap items for their children.

Holiday House, run by the Readiness to Learn Foundation, relies on donations. The detachment’s Toys for Tots program is its biggest contributor.

Members of the detachment set up donation boxes across Whidbey Island, from Greenbank to Clinton, with the hope of filling them with toys and gifts. More than 1,000 toys were donated, while the charity also raised about $21,000.

Holiday House opened Dec. 11 and runs through Dec. 19. For those interested in signing up or volunteering, visit readiness tolearn.org or call 360-221-6808 ext. 4321 for more information. Donations can also be sent to P.O. Box 280, Langley, WA 98260.