Christmas is the time of year that gives you a chance to express your love and appreciation for each other by giving gifts. For most, this gift-giving tradition extends to our immediate family, extended family and friends. But for some, that's just not enough.

That's where "Toys for Tots" was born. "Toys for Tots" is a national program run by the U.S. Marine Corp. that involves an unused-toy donation drive in designated municipalities across the country during the holiday season. 

From there, the Marines, who started the program in 1947, pick up the toys and transport them to locations that have applied to distribute the toys to families in need. The Borough of Bloomingdale participates in the program, and concluded its drive on Monday, having collected hundreds of toys.

Jane McCarthy, Bloomingdale's municipal clerk, has been involved in the borough's "Toys for Tots" campaign for the past several years.

"My son was in the Marines and I wanted to do something because he was away from home, and that's really how I became aware of it," she said. "At the time, we went to the mayor's council and they agreed, and we are now a drop-off center."

During the campaign, a large collection bin was kept at the Borough Municipal Building.

McCarthy and her co-worker, Deputy Municipal Clerk/Registrar Terry Sauer, were concerned that donations would be down this year, yet McCarthy remained confident throughout the campaign. "The people of Bloomingdale have been very generous over the years," she said.

Sauer agreed, "I've been here 14 years, and we've been doing it that long. People are usually very responsive to it."

The community did respond, and in the final weekend before the end of the toy drive, "Toys for Tots" received a big boost in the tri-boro.

"Special thanks to the 5 -8 grade students of the Richard Butler School in Butler," McCarthy said, for their donation of more than 100 toys.

McCarthy said she was more than pleased with the way her community stepped up, despite tough times.

"Even in these hard times people do come through," she said. "They're willing to help those in need."