Lebanon County DA asks residents to ‘Cram a Bearcat’ for Toys for Tots

Expanding on the popular “Cram a Cruiser” events held each year by local police departments to collect donations for Toys for Tots, the District Attorney’s Office of Lebanon County is trying something new this year.

“We are calling it Cram a Bearcat; the goal is to fill that vehicle at least once with donations,” Pier Hess Graf, district attorney, said in a release. “Gently used toys are accepted in addition to new purchases.”

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The event will be held from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at the Lebanon Target, 1745 Quentin Road.

Toys for Tots began in 1947 as the brainchild of Marine Corps Reserve Major Bill Hendricks, when – following the orders of his wife, Diane – Hendricks and the Marines in his reserve unit in Los Angeles collected and distributed 5,000 toys. The commandant directed all Marine Reserve Sites to implement a Toys for Tots program nationwide in 1948.

The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation was established in 1991 as a not-for-profit charity at the behest of the Marine Corps to help run and support the Marine Toys for Tots Program. The goal of the program is to distribute toys to economically disadvantaged children at Christmas, according to the organization’s website.

Graf noted in her release that many police departments in Lebanon County are also supporting Toys for Tots with Cram a Cruiser events this year and encouraged residents to support the local police in their efforts.