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Local Students Donate Christmas Gifts to Toys for Tots
 
Mitch & Marty's CITGO Works with School as Collection Point

RACINE, Wis., Dec. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Mitch Wemmert of Mitch & Marty's CITGO at 2101 Douglas Avenue in Racine, WI believes in the magic of Christmas and the good it brings out. A long-time supporter of programs at Trinity Lutheran School in Racine, Wemmert was thrilled to hear that this year the seventh graders wanted to change their annual tradition of exchanging Christmas presents -- and instead donate all of those gifts to Toys for Tots. The students wanted to use Wemmert's CITGO station as the collection point for the toys.

"We've helped out the school for years with donations to their annual rummage sale, baseball team sponsorships, and other activities, so we know the students are great," said Wemmert, who with Marty Pingle have owned the station on Douglas Avenue since 1989. "However, we were really impressed when we got the call this year. Certainly it's no surprise that the need for donations is higher this year than ever. The fact that these kids really wanted to show the true spirit of Christmas is really wonderful."

Over the years, Wemmert has worked with seventh-grade teacher Ken Stravers, who approached him with the students' plan.

"Mitch and Marty are such a part of the community, it was a natural fit to bring the donations to their station," said Stravers. "So many Racine residents already go there for gas, auto repairs, and the great coffee and donuts, it was really convenient. Plus we knew that they will help us get even more toys."

The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program's goal is to collect new, unwrapped toys each year, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in their local communities. Over the 59 years of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program, Marines have distributed more than 370 million toys to more than 173 million needy children.

Donations of unwrapped toys or money donations are being collected at Mitch & Marty's CITGO at 2101 Douglas Avenue in Racine until Thursday, December, 18.

     Contact:
     Luke Dickinson
     Levick Strategic Communications for Mitch & Marty's CITGO
     Phone: 202-973-1328
     Cell: 202-294-3244
     Email: ldickinson@levick.com

SOURCE Mitch & Marty's CITGO