Here is the final Toys for Tots post for 2017!
This year was my biggest year yet for the fundraiser! We raised just over $1,000 and got just over 200 toys! I LOVE doing this each year and am so happy I took the chance to see what would happen that first year back in 2009. It's a lot of work but it's so worth it and I couldn't do it on such a large scale without so many awesome people supporting my fundraiser by donating their hard earned dollars and also by promoting this on their own social media platforms. I appreciate everyone that helps me with this every year so much! I really wouldn't be able to buy this many toys without all of you helping out.
This years totals:
$1,035
212 toys
That averages out to under $5 per toy. I'm so serious every year when I say it only takes $5 to make a difference and help.
Over the last 9 years, here's the total of toys I've purchased with the funds raised:
2009: 83 toys
2010: 103 toys
2011: 132 toys
2012: 146 toys
2013: 140 toys
2014: 95 toys
2015: 184 toys
2016: 161 toys
2017: 212 toys
That's 1,256 kids that received a toy on Christmas morning thanks to everyone's generosity.
If you want to see final results of the fundraiser from years passed, you can check all of those out here:
The final results from 2009: Here
The final results from 2010: Here
The final results from 2011: Here
The final results from 2012: Here
The final results from 2013: Here
The final results from 2014: Here
The final results from 2015: Here
The final results from 2016: Here
Ready for some 2017 pictures?
If you want to see the full album then just *click here* to take a look at the Toys for Tots 2017 album.
I want to say thank you (again) to those of you that donated this year. Whether it was the first year you donated or the third or the ninth, thank you so much! Whether it was $5, $10, $25, $50 or more; it doesn't matter. I appreciate it and I know the families that benefit from Toys for Tots doing what they do appreciate it, too. I have so much fun being able to do this. I've donated to Toys for Tots since I was a little kid and my mom let us each buy a couple toys of our choosing to give to them and kept doing so for as long as I can remember. So blame her for getting me started into this one. ;) Doing it on such a large scale the last 9 years has been so awesome. I couldn't do it without all of your help so thank you!
Until next year!
XoXo
As most of you all know by now, I got an idea to do a Holiday Fundraiser benefiting Toy for Tots back in 2009. I’ve done it ever year since then and it’s that time again this year. I really can’t believe it’s been this many years now but here we are.
A lot of people often say, "I just don't have time to do anything for charity even though I'd love to." Which is the truth for some people. Which is how I got the idea to do the holiday fundraiser. I will take all the money that gets donated and go buy as many toys for Toys for Tots as I can. I keep them all in bags and then go deliver them to the main Toys for Tots drop location in the area. That way, you can do some good but you don't have to really do anything aside from donate to the cause. For proof that I'm doing what I say I'll be doing with the donations, there will be pictures of the toys as I buy them and pictures of all those toys being loaded into the car and more upon being delivered to a Toys for Tots location.
I know some people see this and think about donating but think they only have $5 or $10 to spare and think that's not worth it. Well, that's not true because through the years I've received tons of $5 and $10 donations! Every little bit adds up to something bigger!
With $5 I can buy an action figure, toy cars, Legos, a stuffed animal, various kinds of dolls, PlayDoh sets and various other things. $5 will buy a toy and in some cases more than one toy. I can get 8 or 9 Hot Wheels cars on $10 so no amount would be too small. If 15 people donate 5 dollars, I have $75 and that will buy quite a few toys to brighten a child's day. You can do something to help and leave all the work up to me.
And yes, I know Christmas isn't about the toys and other presents but imagine being 7 and not looking forward to waking up Christmas morning because Santa couldn't bring you anything this year. It's a bummer.
To donate via paypal or Google Wallet, send whatever amount you want to amorousrocker [at] gmail [dot] com. There's also a paypal button at the top of the right sidebar.
Every little bit will help. If you don't have the ability to do paypal or google wallet but want to donate anyway, let me know and we'll work something out. A few people last year just gave cash or sent me a check since they didn't have a paypal or google wallet account and didn't want to create one either. Other people have sent me Amazon gift cards to buy toys that way and other people just purchased toys and dropped them off to me to add to the pile. I have Prime so free Amazon shipping and fast! Where there’s a will, there’s a way. ;)
I need to have the donation turned into the Toys for Tots warehouse by December 16th so they have plenty of time for sorting everything out and delivery. So we have around 5 weeks this year to get going! I’ll probably go shopping for toys on December 15th so I’ll need all PayPal donations and checks in to me by December 12th at the very latest. Then the 16th I’ll be taking everything out to the warehouse for delivery. Let’s go! :)
2009 Pictures: HERE
20111 Pictures: HERE
2012 Pictures: HERE
2013 Pictures: HERE
2014 Pictures: HERE
2015 Pictures: HERE
2016 Pictures: HERE
On to the Prize Giveaway Details!
This year, we’ll be doing like we did last year thanks to some amazing people and businesses donating some gift cards and items to me to use in a giveaway. The way you can donate will be the same done through sending money through PayPal or Google Wallet. The prize giveaway for those that donate will work the same as they did the last two years, too. As a refresher, everyone that donates will be entered into a contest to win a prize or prizes. For every $5 you donate to the holiday fundraiser, you get one entry into the contest to the drawing of your choice. So $5 gives you one entry into the drawing of your choice. $20 is 4 entries into the drawing(s) of your choice and so on and so forth. If you get multiple entries, you can either put them all towards one thing or split them up between multiple things.
Some of these gift cards are to local businesses so only people that live locally will benefit from trying to win them. And of course the physical items will be fine for anyone to try and win.
Drawing will be held after the fundraiser ends in mid-December and items will be shipped out to the winners in January.
Once you donate, I'll need to know which item you want to be put into contention for and you can do that by emailing me amorousrocker [at] gmail [dot] com. Or holler at me on the Twitter machine @AshlyStar and let me know which item (or items depending on the amount of entries you get) you want to be entered in for.
Give away prizes this year include:
$50 Hand and Stone Spa gift package (good for a 50 minute massage OR facial)
$20 LUSH gift card
$25 Game Stop gift card
$20 Amazon.com gift card
$20 Jamba Juice gift card
$20 Target gift card (2 available)
$20 Starbucks gift card (2 available)
$25 Sonic Drive-In Gift cards (5 up for grabs)
$20 Tiff’s Treats gift card
$20 Olive Garden gift card
$20 Chipotle gift card
1 Loose Leaf Tea Sample Box (pick flavor profiles you prefer and receive 4 sample size packs of loose leaf tea)
1 The Art of Shaving The Elements of the Perfect Shave Starter Kit ( Includes Pre-shave Oil, shaving cream, after shave balm and trial size shaving brush)
3 month Yummy Bazaar’s Destination Food Club subscription (sends authentic and delicious foods from around the globe, 6-8 sample size food items per box)
1 Soap and Glory Travel Size Trio (Travel size in Hand Food hand cream, Heel Genius foot cream & Sugar Crush body cream)
1 Soap and Glory Happy Pamper Set ( Clean On Me shower gel and The Righteous Butter Body Butter)
1 Handmade Soap Trio (you’ll pick 3 scents out of 12 available)
1 Bath Bomb Trio Mystery Pack (surprise surprise surprise! vegan and sensitive skin approved bath bombs)
6 sets of Cinemark movie passes (2 passes per set)
Some of these gift cards are to local businesses so only people that live locally will benefit from trying to win them. And of course the physical items will be fine for anyone to try and win.
I need to have the donation turned into the Toys for Tots warehouse by December 16th so they have plenty of time for sorting everything out and delivery. So we have around 5 weeks this year to get going! I’ll probably go shopping for toys on December 15th so I’ll need all PayPal donations and checks in to me by December 12th at the very latest. Then the 16th I’ll be taking everything out to the warehouse for delivery. Let’s go! :)
