Toy drive, car show to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters gift drive
A special toy drive and car show will be held Saturday, Dec. 4, to help the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Florida meet its goal of providing toys for all of the “littles” during a Christmas party to be held in December.
The Gulf Shore Mustang Club, which is sponsoring the “littles” party, will be hosting the toy drive and car show, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., at 13300 S. Tamiami Trail, behind Big Al’s Sports Grill and Macaroni Grill, in Fort Myers.
Vince Perfetto, vice president of the Gulfshore Mustang Club of Southwest Florida, said the club holds the event once a year around Christmas time for the “bigs” and “littles.” He explained that the group wants to help because he has heard that “this is the only toy that they get because of their situation.”
Perfetto said they try to get the word out there as much as possible so they can provide toys for all the children.
Last year the club donated approximately 150 toys to the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Florida, along with $1,500.
Perfetto said the car show is open to all cars.
Registration is $10, along with a new unwrapped toy with a minimum $10 value. For those who forget to bring a toy, registration is $20 the day of the show.
Dash plaques will be provided to the first 100 registered cars.
The event will also feature raffles, food and music by DJ Dr. Music.
For more information about the Toy Drive and Car Show, contact Minette Langston at (239) 839-1135 or Vince Perfetto at (239) 246-1663.
The club will also be hosting a wrapping party Saturday, Dec. 11, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., at the Our Lady of Light Catholic Church located at 19680 Cypress View Drive.
Lisa Terrill, outreach officer for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Florida, said the organization is holding a “Big Holly Day Toy Drive” for a party that will be held Dec. 18 for all the “littles” of Lee County. She is expecting to have approximately 300 “littles” join them for the two-hour event in Lee County.
Terrill said in preparation for the party, organizers will be hosting multiple toy drives, so they can meet their goal of collecting 1,200 toys between now and Dec. 10 for children between the ages of 5 to 18 years old.
She explained that they are striving to collect so many toys to help provide gifts for all the “littles” in the five counties it serves: Charlotte, Lee, Glades, Hendry and Collier.
“It’s a group effort,” she said.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Florida currently serves 1,200 children, with an additional 200 “littles” waiting for a “big” match in Charlotte, Lee and Collier counties.
The organization has also partnered with Publix for its “Big Holly Day Toy Drive” in Charlotte, Lee and Collier counties. The locations have large pre-wrapped boxes set up in the store for toys to be dropped off.
Other locations include Marquee Cinemas, 2301 Del Prado Blvd.; Premier Executive Center, 5237 Summerlin Commons Blvd.; L.A. Fitness, 2301 Del Prado Blvd.; Dixie Buick Pontiac GMC, 14565 South Tamiami Trail; Galena Kia, 14483 S. Tamiami Trail; Alliance for the Arts, 10091 McGregor Blvd.; Ideal Image, 4315 Metro Parkway; Internal Medicine of Southwest Florida, 6311 South Point Blvd.; Veterans Foundation Thrift Store, 3108 Del Prado Blvd., S., #4; and Two Brothers Collectors Re-Purposed Furniture Home Decor, 1114-A Cape Coral Parkway.