Bermuda Regiment Donates To Toys For Tots
The 28 members of the Regiment’s full time staff annually participate in an internal “Secret Santa” gift swap. However, it was unanimously decided that this year, they would prefer to give in the name of charity and be “Secret Santas to some of Bermuda’s youth.
The charity they selected was Coldwell Banker’s Tenth Annual Toys for Tots programme, operated under the auspices of the Coalition for the Protection of Children .
The local military enjoys a long standing relationship with the US Marine Corps who operate a programme of the same name, so many of the Bermudian soldiers were well aware of the benefits to the local youth. The programme in the US which dates back to 1947 states,
“The primary goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver, through a new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to less fortunate youngsters…”
The donations were overseen by Warrant Officer (Class 2) Jason Harrell, and by the end of last week had collected enough money and toys to have about 60 presents delivered to the Toys for Tots HQ at Mount Hill earlier this morning.
When asked about how he felt about the change in tact this year from the normal Secret Santa he said, “It felt very natural. No one joins the military to serve themselves; if they do, they have a short career. It was completely a group decision, and one that everyone supported. Many people are suffering economically right now, and children often have to go without which is unfortunate.
“Part of the military ethos – wherever you go – is about being selfless. Being in the Bermuda Regiment isn’t always about hurricane relief and internal security, it’s about helping our island in any way we are able – and this request for support required a teddy bear, not a riot shield.”
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Well done.