For the last two weeks students at Dodson Elementary have been collecting toys at the school for a good purpose.

That purpose is for the needy children in the Teche Area to have at least one toy this Christmas.

The caring students collected everything from  Barbie dolls, trucks, board games, stuffed animals, colors and coloring books, filling several bags.

Bill Smith / The Daily Iberian Sgt. Argus Bennett, left, checks out the toys in the bag Kimmi Perkins and Kelsey Frederick are holding during the pickup at Dodson Elementary for the Marine Corps Reserve's annual Toys for Tots toy drive. Kaya Richardson. right, looks into her bag before loading the more than 400 toys into the Marines' vehicle. Advertisement

U.S. Marine Corps personnel loaded the bags in a van for children who might not be as fortunate as others on Christmas Day.

“Every year the students and faculty of Dodson Elementary participate in the Toys for Tots program,” Dodson Elementary principal Jay Leger said. “All the kids who donated a toy will participate in a special activity next week. This year, students collected several bags of toys for  needy children this Christmas.”

Leger said students who donated toys for the Toys for Tots will get to see a Christmas movie one day next week at the school.

Paula Saravia and Nanette Reed, co-sponsors of the event, said they were pleased with this year’s turnout.

“This is an annual event and this year it seems like every kid donated a toy to the program from Dodson Elementary,” Saravia said. “We are helping out the community in a good way and the students also get a little reward for participating in the Toy for Tots event. This is probably the best turnout we ever had.”

Reed agreed.

“This event is one of the best projects that we do to help others out,” Reed said as she watched the event.

“We have 19 bags of toys and this project really helps kids who are not as fortunate as others.”

A number of students at the school who donated toys said they donated them because they wanted to help kids who are not fortunate as they are.

Hunter Dooley, a sixth-grade student, said he tries to participate in the program every year .

“I just want to make sure other kids at least get o

pen something for Christmas,” Dooley said. “This event is special and it seems like a lot of my classmates helped out.”

Anya Beuhler, a fifth-grade student, called the annual event wonderful and said it helps a lot of people.

“Every year I try to bring at least one toy,” she said.

“I think every kid should at least get one toy.”