by Dennis Dalman
editor@thenewsleaders.com
The best things of all are the tears and hugs that Steve Titus gets when he hands out bags of toys and treats to parents in need for their children.
He’s been doing it for 24 years, and he never tires of the good feelings he gets right from the center of his heart when he sees happy parents. Many times their tears are a mixture of embarrassment and gratitude. Sometimes they are too shy to hug, but Titus gives them a hug anyway, and they always let him.
Titus, a St. Cloud resident, is the local coordinator for the U.S. Marines’ Toys for Tots program for children in east Stearns County, west Benton County and a bit of Sherburne County. Children in need in those areas have happy Christmases thanks to the generosity of so many businesses and people, including Titus and his staff of nine former U.S. Marines who promote the program and who pick up toys at nearly 250 donation sites in the area. Titus, 67, is also a U.S. Marine who served a tour of duty in Vietnam.
Here’s how the program works:
Unwrapped toys or money is donated. There are big Toys for Tots donation boxes at businesses all through the central Minnesota area, including such places as Coborn’s stores, ShopKo stores, Menard’s, Whitney Senior Center, Curves for Women St. Cloud, Coldwell Banker/Burnett Realty, Sam’s Club and many more. Shoppers often buy toys and put them in those big boxes.
Periodically, in the pre-Christmas weeks, the nine volunteer former Marines make the rounds and gather the toys. With cash or check donations, they buy many more.
Meantime, Catholic Charities, based in St. Cloud, registers parents or guardians so they can shop free at a special “store” set up at Catholic Charities Emergency Services at 157 Roosevelt Road in South St. Cloud. Parents/guardians must register in person up until Dec. 14 to be part of the Toys for Tots program. The shop-for-toys dates are Dec. 15 and Dec. 17 when they can shop for toys for their children. Typically, a parent or parents can choose a gift worth up to $30 or even more and then a smaller toy or two. They also receive a family board game, a book, other treats and knitted scarves and mittens. Titus and other volunteers bring the big bags to the recipients’ cars, and that’s where the tears and hugs begin.
“Sometimes they are so embarrassed and humbled,” Titus said. “But they shouldn’t be. It makes us feel so good to make them happy.”
So far this year, the local Toys for Tots volunteers have collected and/or purchased close to 2,000 toys. More than 970 of them came from the Jingle Bells run-walk event held recently in Sartell. Titus said he expects many more toys will be gathered or purchased as the season progresses.
To register for toys, call Catholic Charities at 320-229-4560 or 1-800-830-8254, ext. 4560.
To contribute toys, just buy some and put them in the big boxes located in the lobbies or entrances to so many businesses in the area. Otherwise, make an online donation via:
st-cloud-mn.toysfortots.org.
Checks can also be sent, made out to “Marine Toys for Tots,” and mailed to: 1905 13th Ave. S., St. Cloud, Minn. 56301.
Titus
Why did Titus become involved in the local Toys for Tots?
The answer is easy. The effort touched his heart from the get-go. Twenty-four years ago, a local World War II veteran, Don DeChambeau, now deceased, said he was getting a bit too old to keep coordinating the Toys for Tots program and asked Titus if he would consider taking the volunteer job. Titus did, and he’s never had regrets.
“What’s great about the program is every time, every toy, collected stays right in this area,” he said. “My wife, Carol, gets so involved in the effort. So do my daughter and grandkids. It’s so good to help others.”
