The local Toys for Tots drive held its dropoff event Thursday morning at the Veterans Hall in Grass Valley, cheered on by a group of nearby pre-school children and staff…

14 area fire departments have also been participating in recent years as collection sites, with a number of fire trucks making their presence known through the downtown area, with sirens blaring and lights blazing. And, perched on top of a truck that was hauling all the gifts to the Hall, was the man of the season, Santa Claus…

Santa also took the time from his busy schedule to talk to the children regarding last-minute gift ideas…

The public donates unwrapped items valued at 10 dollars or more. The local Marine Corps Division usually collects around five to seven-thousand toys that are distributed to 15-hundred to 16-hundred children, also including a number of teenagers.