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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Tucson Toy drive planning thread!

Discussion in 'SouthWest Region Discussion' started by dialswiftjustice, Sep 2, 2006.

  1. dialswiftjustice

    dialswiftjustice Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 12, 2005
    Ok, we've gotta do a toy drive if we want to do a hospital. Ive met with two Toy's R' Us's and got the same answer "gotta go through corporate and apply witht hem," and< oh but we already have the Marines." We know the Mall's dont want masked people running around and the KB Toy stores are kinda small, but I'll call them.

    Personally I think we should go with the Gamestop on Wetmore, next to the Wal-Mart. Joe has already said we can do it anytime, and we can have signs displayed as people go into the Wal-mart, so they can donate as they drive out.
     
  2. cathiecat

    cathiecat Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Mar 24, 2005
    check with privately owned toy stores, there are a few of them in town. Mrs. Tiggywinkles, Yikes, and Kid's Center come to mind, I drafted and emailed a few letters out to the corporate email addresses I have been given for information if places like Toys R Us or Wal Mart or KMart could or would be willing to assist us.. I'll let you know when I hear from them.
     
  3. cathiecat

    cathiecat Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Mar 24, 2005
    The following is what ToysRUs Corporate sent me about our request for toy drive assistance.


    Thank you for contacting the "R" Us Family. I have researched your request and I found that all donation requests for charitable organizations that are 501(c) 3 certified should be directed to the Toys?R?Us Children?s Fund. Since it was founded in 1992, The Toys?R?Us Children's Fund has donated millions of dollars annually to organizations promoting the health and well-being of children. Funds raised through The Toys?R?Us Children?s Fund are now used to support our two signature programs: The Kids? Playroom Program, and the Reading Ready Program supporting childhood literacy.

    Medical facilities that would like to be considered for the Kids? Playroom Program and organizations requesting support under the Reading Ready Program should send a letter of interest to: The Toys ?R? Us Children's Fund, One Geoffrey Way, Wayne, New Jersey 07470. Due to the popularity of the Kids? Playroom Program, there is currently a two-year waiting list for playrooms. In addition, The Fund will resume accepting proposals for the Reading Ready Program in November 2004. Additional guidelines regarding Toys ?R? Us Corporate Philanthropy can be viewed on-line at www.toysrusinc.com under the ?About Us? tab.

    Please contact the local store director to request merchandise donations and Gift Cards for local non-profit organizations. The store director will review your request to ensure it meets our corporate giving guidelines. Please note that we do not currently accept donations for individuals. You may also contact Kids In Distressed Situations (K.I.D.S.) at 1-800 266-3314. This organization receives donations from Toys?R?Us in the form of merchandise, and works closely with charities to donate those products appropriately. K.I.D.S. does not provide merchandise for door prizes, auction items, tricky trays, or any other fundraising purpose. Products are provided only for organizations that assist children in need.

    Thank you for thinking of Toys?R?Us and offering us the opportunity to help your organization. We appreciate your patronage, and we look forward to serving you in the future.




     
  4. thatsMISTERwookiee

    thatsMISTERwookiee Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 12, 2005
    Okay, I'm an old man, easily confused. We need to have toy drives so we will have toys to take to the hospitals, that much I understand.
    But for which visits? If it is the Halloween hospital visits, then I seriously doubt we are going to have the time to get things arranged before then.
    If it is for Christmas visits, then that gives us an extra month and a half to get details worked out.

    Has anybody contacted the Marines to see if we could help them on a couple of days? They might give us a percentage of the toys to take to hospitals.
    Has anybody contacted KGUN TV to see if we could help them? They always have a "Stuff the Bus" drive for toys and for food in November/December. Work with them for a percentage of the toys and, who knows, we might get some free "air time" for the TFF if we are allowed to help them.

    Just some ideas...
     
  5. firstsonofsolo

    firstsonofsolo Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 2, 2006
    So pretty much TRU blew us off saying that if the hospitals want toys they need to contact TRU themselves directly? I have said it before and will do so again I think we should go with Kmart and they are always looking for things to bring them attention. I received an e-mail from marchelle (still dont know how to pronounce it) They would love for us to come by but fridays after 2:30 are the best day for them. They would also greatly appreciate it if we could help out with their christmas wish tree. A little off topic but a shameless plug none the less.
     
  6. cathiecat

    cathiecat Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Mar 24, 2005
    At this time there are no dates set for any TMC or UMC Hospital visits, toys however, are a necessity apparantly before we do these hospital events, as normally the kids get toys from visitors I suppose??? these hospital visits have no bearing on the compass clinic halloween visit at all.. two different entities entirely.

    I have no problem at all contacting the news station and seeing if we can join them for a stuff the bus.. I just need to know how many souls I should say are willing to attend if they do ask us to join them.. a few members have mentioned still wanting to participate in toys 4 tots, and a few have said they don't feel we can fit it all in.. I, not having a job will do any event that we come up with, I just don't have a dynamic costume to do it in.. which is my only issue. At this time though Toys 4 Tots still is not ready for making commitments, not until September 15th do they have info to give out.

    As for TRU, they are not blowing us off, they just have a chain of command they have to follow, and that might or might not be a drawback.. I have mentioned to DSJ that perhaps this is something his wife might like to tackle... and I also contacted KMart, Wal-Mart, and Target at the same time I did TRU.. so far TRU is the only one to respond to my email.
     
  7. dialswiftjustice

    dialswiftjustice Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 12, 2005

    I think doing a Stuff the bus woul dbe awesome, but my only question is, woul dwe end up with enough toys for the visits if we only took a percentage, and would it make the TFF seem like we were taking the spotlight away from their organization.

    Personally Id rather have an independant drive so we dont risk coming up short an dhaving to do another drive. Id want to get all the toys we'd need in one shot. SO what do you guys think? Set a date for the drive at Gamestop (this time since it's already a given)?
    If so what dates? September is pretty open, as is Early October and November. Im just gauging what would work best for everyone, not setting a harcore date until I coordinate with Bev (from the 501st).
     
  8. thatsMISTERwookiee

    thatsMISTERwookiee Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 12, 2005
    Confused Old Man here. At the August meeting you said the weekends of Sept. 9-10 and 23-24 were to be all-day marathon weekends for building the Death Star hallway. The only remaining weekend in September is the 16-17 which is the weekend of the Sept. meeting. The first really clear weekend available is Sept. 30-Oct. 1.

    In October we've got open three weekends; the 7-8, 14-15, and 21-22. One of these weekends will have the October meeting, which is as yet undecided.

    All of which means we have only three truly open weekends before Howl-a-ween to stage toy drives or anything else we may want to do.

    Just thought I'd bring that to everyone's attention...
     
  9. KickingnScreaming

    KickingnScreaming Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    May 26, 2006
    When we had the meeting with TMC, they wanted us to come on Halloween after or before we did CRS. Now I know DSJ wants to confirm with BEV but, I think this is pretty much a solid date for both.

    I agree that the toy drive should be a separate event. I think early Oct would be best because there is so much going on in Sep.

    Finally, it sounds like you need to be a 501 approved charitable organization to apply for the ToysRUs toy fund. Is that how you guys read the note Cat got?

    I will help with whatever I can. Let me know if you want me to contact Walmart or Target
     
  10. cathiecat

    cathiecat Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Mar 24, 2005
    TRU offered three options.. the first one you have to be tax approved for.. but the other two options you don't.
     
  11. 14of3amberofborg

    14of3amberofborg Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    May 22, 2006
    Does anyone have a guestimate on the number of toys we would need or like to have??
     
  12. cathiecat

    cathiecat Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Mar 24, 2005
    I believe Dustin mentioned something about 40 kids per hospital.. so that would be some odd 80+ toys I think.
     
  13. KickingnScreaming

    KickingnScreaming Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    May 26, 2006
    Keep in mind also that the toys need to be for all ages and don't forget the girls!

    I am going to check with Bev about doing something with Andrea's Closet (the non-profit org). That might be a good way to go about seeking more donations. I will keep you posted
     
  14. dialswiftjustice

    dialswiftjustice Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 12, 2005
    Ill make sure and get with Bev within the next day or two to hammer out particulars and get recommendations, otherwise, for this short notice, we should probably set a date for doing it at Gamestop.
     
  15. cathiecat

    cathiecat Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Mar 24, 2005
    Just keep us posted on what you find out.. and also.. we already have the October meeting scheduled and booked.. I had posted about it already in another thread.. it is October 15th at 1pm at the Valdez main library downtown, free parking in the deck on sundays and they are thrilled to have us.
     
  16. KickingnScreaming

    KickingnScreaming Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    May 26, 2006
    Okay let's get this settled. From what I have read in the posts, these seem like the best days.

    (1st choice) Sunday, October 22nd at GameStop from 11a-2pm?

    or

    (2nd choice) Saturday, October 21st at GameStop from 11a-2pm?

    I (or Dustin) will call Friday (Sept. 6) morning to schedule. Since the meeting is on the 15th of Oct., if the choices above are taken the only other day is Oct. 14th.

    Let me know how this strikes everyone.
     
  17. cathiecat

    cathiecat Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Mar 24, 2005
    please be sure that all the voting members get a say on if they can be at the toy drive and on which date, that way we have no misunderstandings on when and where to show up, and who is willing to do the event.. you may have to call people on the phone if they do not post a thought here...

    while I personally don't have a preference for the date as far as the toy drive goes, I do want to remind everyone that if you add up all the costumed appearances for the month of October you come up with at least seven events, this includes the clinic, zoo(3), hospital, toy drive, heroes and villains, and I think I may be forgetting one..... not sure what it is though.

    Also, please, if you really don't think you will be able to make an appearance at an event, say so.. so we know where we stand, don't say you can be somewhere and then not show up, I only say this so we are sure of our numbers.. because if we do not have enough people to carry an event through it is better to know it now than the day of the event.
     
  18. firstsonofsolo

    firstsonofsolo Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 2, 2006
    I can be at any event so long as I have a minimum of a 3 week notice. I am game for all of the events so long as I have a helmet by then!

    -Chris
     
  19. KickingnScreaming

    KickingnScreaming Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    May 26, 2006
    Haven't gotten enough feedback to make a call.

    Cat can you put this on the list to talk about at the Sept. Meeting?
     
  20. cathiecat

    cathiecat Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Mar 24, 2005
    yes, we will put it on the agenda, no problem at all.
     
  21. cathiecat

    cathiecat Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Mar 24, 2005
    Frankie, any word from Joe on October 14th yet?