Toy drives planned to help under-privileged children

Published 12:03 am Saturday, December 5, 2015

RESERVE — Riverlands Christian Center and Hunt Brothers Pizza locations in Reserve are producing separate efforts this Christmas season to make sure under-privileged children receive holiday toys.

St. John the Baptist Parish residents are invited to a free Toy Giveaway and Pictures with Santa event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 19 at Riverlands Christian Center, 480 NW 3rd Street in Reserve.

Registration is not necessary to the free-admission event, and live entertainment is planned.

For those looking to donate or who are interested in more information, contact SSGT Monica Williams at 504-912-5405. Williams is the United States Marine Corps Toys for Tots coordinator.

In separate holiday-giving news, Hunt Brothers Pizza announce its first Christmas Coloring Contest benefiting the Marine Toys for Tots program.

Customers at Hunt Brothers Pizza locations in Reserve are invited to color in the graphics on the front and back of the limited edition Hunt Brothers Pizza boxes and submit a photo of their artwork online for entry into the contest.

For each picture submitted, Hunt Brothers Pizza will make a donation to Toys for Tots. Plus, each submission earns the participant an entry into a random drawing for a $500 prize.

“As a family business rooted in Christian values, Christmas is always a very special time of year for us at Hunt Brothers Pizza,” said Keith Solsvig, vice president of marketing for Hunt Brothers Pizza. “This year, we want to celebrate the true meaning of the holiday. We hope all families will join us through this simple and fun act of kindness that will benefit the children helped by the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.”

Organizers ask patrons to take a picture of the pizza box artwork and post it to a personal Facebook, Twitter or Instagram page with #ColorToGive or upload it at Facebook.com/HuntBrothersPizza. Online entries must be received by Dec. 20.