Toys for Tots bags big boost from Lake Milton fundraiser

By Ed Runyan

LAKE MILTON — Mike Sudano of Niles says he likes the Toys for Tots program run by the U.S. Marine Corps because “I love things that go directly to the kids.”

He came to Sunday’s Toys For Tots benefit at the American Legion hall on Milton Avenue that featured the performances donated by five local bands.

Sudano says he’s known a couple Niles-area families going through tough times whose children got gifts from the program, and he’s impressed.

“Some of the people I’ve talked to said they got real nice toys, not junk. They de- serve it,” he said.

One family in particular had a father who was overweight and couldn’t work. He and his wife had three kids, one of whom had medical problems of her own.

“If it weren’t for Toys for Tots, they [kids] would have got nothing” for Christmas, Sudano said.

This is the first year the benefit has been at the American Legion hall, said Johnny Cee of Warren, leader of Southern Justice, one of five musical acts that performed for free from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The event has been in various places around the Mahoning Valley over the past 12 years that Cee has been involved, he said, adding that he and the American Legion hope to keep the event at the post for years go come.

“Christmas is for kids. We want to put as many smiles on the faces of kids as we can,” Cee said.

“Times are tough. Many people have run out of unemployment and have no money coming in,” said Glenn Geist, first vice commander of the American Legion post. “It’s hard to tell a little kid ‘Daddy doesn’t have a job and there’s no presents.’”

Those attending the show were asked to pay $5 to get in or bring a $5 toy to donate.

The event raised at least $1,800 in cash and five big boxes of toys, Geist said.

Last year, the benefit raised enough money to provide 780 children with a toy, Cee said, and organizers are hoping for an even bigger total this year.

Some people like Jodi Minotti of Niles also collected donations before coming to Sunday’s event.

Minotti went door to door in Niles and to some businesses collecting donations. She discovered that poor people are often the most giving.

“You don’t have to ask them twice,” she said. “They may only have $2 or $3, but they’ll hand it over,” she said, adding that the Marines gave her a note to show people that she is collecting on behalf of Toys for Tots.

Minotti said she donated about $100 Sunday from her collections in Niles, plus several items of her own that were raffled off.

Minotti used to perform with her dancing group, the Northland Ohio Touch of Class Cloggers, at the annual Toys for Tots benefit, but the dancers disbanded recently. She has helped with Toys for Tots since 1984.

Marine Cpl. Noe Estrada, stationed at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station, said the Marines distribute the toys to children from a list provided by the Salvation Army.

“All money and toys stay in Mahoning and Trumbull Counties,” Estrada said, adding that the Marines run the program all year and have drop-off points at various locations in the valley.

Another way to make a donation is to call the American Legion at (330) 654-5630.

runyan@vindy.com