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Old Bridge Village Yacht Clubbers make Christmas brighter for Fort Myers families

By Staff | Dec 7, 2010

Photo contributed Marine Corporal Gary Bowler presents award for Community Service to Old Bridge Village Yacht Club Treasurer Lesley Howes.

Working with the Marine Corps Toys for Tots program, volunteers at Old Bridge Village (OBV), a 55+ Riverfront Community, are making sure Santa finds his way to area families in need.

“We raised more than $10,000 so we were able to buy bikes and toys for a lot of families who might not have had a Christmas,” said Project Coordinator Lesley Howes, OBV’s Treasurer of the Yacht Club, which sponsors the campaign.

“Yacht Clubbers and OBV volunteers have done everything from putting donation boxes in stores, gathering and delivering toys by the truckload, holding fundraisers, and, of course, writing checks. They’ve been absolutely amazing.”

To get the year’s best prices and the most toys “shoppers”, Donna Davis and Sharon Seitz hit the Black Friday sales at Toys R Us, also a sponsor of Toys for Tots. “We have worked with them for years and they have been wonderful.” Sharon agreed. “We were like two kids at Christmas. Finding all the presents was so much fun.”

“The Toys R Us staff assembled all 111 of these bikes and trikes,” said bike shopper Phyllis Swift. “I can’t imagine how many hours they have donated. We are very, very appreciative.”

Photo contributed Volunteers Ron and Shirley Swanberg help organize hundreds of toys.

“When I walked in the door, the sheer magnitude of the numbers of bikes and toys waiting in our Club House was absolutely phenomenal,” said Yacht Club Commodore Bill Carroll. “To think that so many families will have a happy Christmas because of this is very humbling. I am very moved by the generosity our Yacht Club members and the Old Bridge Community. We are so proud to be a part of this.”

Photo contributed Volunteers Donna Davis, Sharon Seitz and Shirley Swanberg at event.