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In the holiday spirit, Santa invites the public to drop off a gift at the 14th annual Victor Ghirra toy collection Saturday from noon to 2:30 p.m. in the parking lot of the Riverside Grand Ballroom, 1231 Burdette St.
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Toy collection Saturday a drive-thru event
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Just like Santa, Victor Ghirra was known to have a big heart. And in keeping with tradition, an annual event in memory of the man with a golden heart—dedicated to spreading love and holiday cheer—will continue despite the pandemic.
Only this year’s 14th annual toy collection will be a drive-thru event, with supporters urged to drop off toys for the Winter Wonderland-themed event this Saturday from noon to 2:30 p.m. in the parking lot of the Riverside Grand Ballroom, 1231 Burdette St.
“It’s a really tough year, collecting toys and the ways groups fundraise has changed drastically,” says toy drive organizer Harvey Kooner. “But this year is the greatest need for toys from good causes we’ve seen in the history of the toy drive. I heard back from one Christmas bureau this weekend that their shelves are already bare. There have been fundraisers, events and drive-thru toy drives that have gotten cancelled. We wanted to make sure we made this happen and whatever we can do together with the help of the community will make a difference this holiday season.”
Kooner has fond memories of Ghirra, his longtime friend, a modest man who deflected any attention or praise directed his way.
“There were so many heartwarming stories shared about his life, the great person he was, but the one that touched me the most was finding out that Victor had quietly been purchasing thousands of dollars in toys for Children’s Hospital, and donating them to needy children who weren’t as lucky as his own,” says Kooner. “When they would ask, ‘Who are you, and where are these toys from, which organization?’ true to his nature, he would simply reply, ’It doesn’t matter who I am, or where I am from, these toys are for the kids, and that’s all you need to know.’”
It turned out that Ghirra had been making trips to the hospital anonymously for over a dozen years. He was purely being himself, and never told anyone what he was up to. Hearing about his selfless acts became the genesis of this annual event, says Kooner.
Since the toy drive started in 2007, more than 40,650 toys have been collected and distributed to dozens of non-profit organizations. It’s a labour of love that Ghirra would most certainly be proud to see carrying on.
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