Let the spirit of giving fill your heart by contributing to Juguetón, Chapala’s toys for tots campaign organized by the San Francisco parish Salesian lay mission group (Grumis).
The 11th annual gift collection marathon will be extended to three days this year, running around the clock from Friday, December 15, 6 p.m. through Sunday, December 17, 10 p.m., at the Chapala plaza. It will wrap in an entertainment program with varied music, dance and other acts lined up to attract donors.
Organizers request donations of toys that do not require batteries or inspire violence. Their goal is to break last year’s record of 3,121 items gathered for distribution among needy families in the Chapala area. A portion of the bounty will be sent to communities in the southern state of Chiapas that were hit hard by the September earthquakes.
Each year, Grumis volunteers conduct a door-to-door census in local low-income neighborhoods to identify moms and dads who face hardships in buying presents for their offspring. Those who qualify receive coupons to exchange for toys handed out at the church on December 22. They take them home to put out in secret, so that, according to custom, youngsters wake up Christmas morning to find a gift left by El Niño Dios (Baby Jesus).