by Haley Verre

Staff Writer

Westford Academy is participating in the Toys for Tots program for the first time this year, which is being sponsored by the freshman class of 2015. Toys will be donated by willing students to children at Christmas who are less fortunate. According to the mission statement, the program will “distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.”

U.S. Marines have carried out this mission, which founded in 1947 by Colonel William L. Hendricks. All throughout these years, the Marines have given out over 400 million toys to more than 188 million children who live in families who are struggling financially.

Donation bins have been placed in the Main Office and Guidance Office in order to give students the opportunity to donate to this cause. The toys will be sent to the Toys for Tots warehouse in Burlington, where they will distributed from there to children in the Middlesex-Essex county.

Class officers have been putting a message on student announcements and putting posters up to make students aware of this worthy cause.

“This year we really hope to fill all six Toys for Tots boxes,” said Freshman class President Jack Leeber.

The Toys for Tots program ends on December 8th, so this week is the student’s last chance to provide toys for the children of impoverished families.