Photo: Supplied.
In the lead up to Christmas each year, Marc Sorrentino purchases and collects toys for the Salvos’ Christmas Gift Appeal. These toys help to make Christmas a joyous occasion for children who would otherwise go without. And while Marc continues to coordinate the effort through his Cambridge Parade office, it’s the community’s generosity that also drives the success of the appeal.
But how did it all begin?
“More than ten years ago my then teenage daughter Monroe approached me with this idea of inviting her friends over to our house,” explained Marc. “The plan was that we supplied dinner and in return her friends brought a toy that we would then give to the Salvation Army for underprivileged kids.”
Monroe’s initial idea has since become a Sorrentino family tradition that gains momentum each year.
“It was such a positive experience that it became a family tradition that just kept growing, from a boot full of toys to a car full, to a van full, and these days the Salvos’ truck is required to pick up all the toys because it has become so big,” said Marc.
“If I had to guess, I would estimate that in the past 11 years thanks to our friends and community we have collected over 7000 toys.
“We are reaching out to our wonderful community to help us by donating a toy or two so more kids can participate in the joy of Christmas.”
This year marks the 11th year of the Sorrentino family Salvos’ Christmas toy collection. Marc invites anyone who is able to drop a new, unwrapped toy for donation to the Sorrentino Property office/Le Bistro, located at 75 Cambridge Parade prior to Friday December 15 at 4:00pm.
“Our family would like to thank our community in advance. Let’s make sure that no child misses out on the joy of receiving a present this Christmas,” said Marc.
