LILCO Delivers!

Over 1000 Toys Donated

By Michael Larkin

The Long Island Lighting Company's Outreach Council delivered on its promise to collect toys for the Marines "Toys for Tots" program this past week. Major Chuck Kilbride of the 2nd Battalion, 25th Marines Corps came to the LILCO headquarters in Hicksville to pick up the over 1000 toys that had been collected during this holiday season.

Staff Sgt. Roger Fortune and other Marine Reserves pick up more than 1000 toys gathered by LILCO for the "Toys for Tots" program.

Susan Beloza, president of the Outreach Council, organized the effort to assist in this year's drive. She designated eleven drop spots throughout the LILCO organization where the toys could be donated to the program. She and members of her council then collected all of these donations and brought them to the headquarters where they could be picked up for delivery.

This is the first time the LILCO community has pooled its efforts in participating in the "Toys for Tots" program. Beloza cites that the LILCO community has always been very generous, but it was never organized as it was this year. The LILCO Outreach Council is a group of employee volunteers dedicated to helping the underprivileged on Long Island. Through their efforts more than twenty-five charitable organizations have received assistance in 1997.

"We want the community to know that we're involved with them and care for them," said Beloza. "The Outreach Council heeds the needs of the community, whether it be toys for Christmas, or clothing and food for whatever reason."

The toys that had been collected were being sent to several Long Island locations; The Family Service League of Huntington, St. Hughes of Lincoln in Huntington, St. Barnabas of Bellmore, Smithhaven Ministries, and the Riverhead and Coram Department of Social Services. Here the toys will be distributed to those who are less fortunate.

The Nassau County Sheriff's Department got into the holiday spirit also, providing the vehicles to transport all of the gifts. "We try to help out every year," said Michael Adams, president of the Sheriff Officer's Organization. "It's something for the kids, so we're going to do whatever we can."

This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the "Toys for Tots" program, and Major Kilbride indicated it is the strongest it has ever been. He cites the involvement of all 50 chambers of commerce, the over 700 sponsors that are participating in the project, and the honorary chairman, Alphonse D'Amato, as reasons this will be the most successful year yet.

"With leadership like this behind you, you can't do anything but succeed," said Kilbride.

The program "allows us [Marines] to share with the community," said Kilbride. "The Marines are your fathers, your mothers, your brothers, and your sisters, and we care."

The US Marines approach to this program is typical of what you would expect. "We treat this just as seriously as any other mission."