Submitted by Intercity Transit
This holiday season will be a little brighter this year for hundreds of children of local military families kids. A community-wide effort of South Sound residents and businesses will result in an estimated 1,500 donated gifts delivered to “Santa’s Castle” at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) on Saturday, December 8.
At the ninth annual “Toy Deployment” event, Santa and Mrs. Claus will bring the gifts to base on a festively decorated “Jingle Bus.” The toys will be distributed to the children of low income military families, most of whom have at least one parent currently deployed overseas. Sponsors Intercity Transit and KGY Radio have coordinated Toy Deployment every year since 2004.
Volunteers will load toys, bikes and gifts for children of all ages onto the Intercity Transit “Jingle Bus” for transport to JBLM. Long-time Intercity Transit driver Joe Lambrix dressed as Santa, and driver MJ Joy dressed as Mrs. Claus, and several others will deliver the gifts to the volunteer-run “Santa’s Castle.” Gifts are then selected over the next several weeks by military family members for their needy and deserving young people.
