BELLEFONTE — A proclamation issued this week by the Centre County Board of Commissioners recognized two milestones: the 78th anniversary of Marine Toys for Tots and the 39th anniversary of the Nittany Leathernecks Detachment, the Marine Corps League group that coordinates the program locally.

1,393 children across Centre and Mifflin counties received toys through the local Toys for Tots program this past holiday season, a feat made possible by the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and broad support from Centre County’s business community.

Accepting the proclamation on behalf of the group were Toys for Tots coordinator Major Eugene Weller and his wife, Donna, who have been involved with the program for decades. The Nittany Leathernecks Detachment works closely with local food pantries to identify children in need and organize the annual distribution of toys across both counties.

This year, in addition to the four toys gifted to each child, more than 900 grandparents received gifts to share, and over 3,200 food items were distributed–about 1,000 more than the previous year. The program also received over 1,000 books from the Toys for Tots Foundation and $42,000 in supplemental toys to share with local children who might not otherwise receive gifts during the holiday season.

The accomplishment is all the more remarkable given that, as Commissioner Mark Higgins noted at the Tuesday meeting, “There are some counties where they struggle to get them even one [toy].”

According to the Wellers, the feat was only possible because a substantial part of the community is eager to participate in the holiday toy drive.

“It’s so neat to see the volunteers. We have a great group of people who give up their time to come out there and work,” said Donna Weller. “People want to be a part of it.”

Standing behind the hundreds of local volunteers are more than 300 businesses that support Toys for Tots. These include national retailers such as Wegmans, Walmart, Jersey Mike’s and Target, which donated everything from toys and wrapping paper to food for volunteers, as well as local businesses like the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center, which provided space for volunteers to work.

“The outpouring of love that this community shows – people don’t realize,” Weller continued. “The community at large here is so giving.”

Commissioner Amber Concepcion said, “That reflects well on the kind of community we live in.”

Commissioner Mark Higgins added that the program’s impact extends beyond the holidays, noting that leftover toys are often donated to Centre County’s human service agencies to assist families in crisis, such as those who experience a house fire or must leave their homes abruptly due to domestic violence.

“It goes without saying that your dedication is almost unprecedented. I think you are miracles to our community,” Commissioner Steve Dershem said. “I don’t think the average person realizes what it takes to administer a program like this, and the institutional knowledge that we have here that you’ve been willing to extend beyond Centre County.”