PENNINGTON COUNTY, S.D. – The Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys For Tots program has returned to the Black Hills area ahead of the upcoming holiday season.
Toys For Tots was started in 1947 by a Marine Corps Reservist, who wanted to provide toys for children who were in need. This effort was eventually adopted by the Marine Corps, which then grew to reach different communities across the country.
The Pennington County initiative is led by Staff Sergeant Robert Medina, a Marine Corps Veteran who grew up in Rapid City. Having received gifts from the program as a child and coordinated past efforts during his military service, he calls it a full circle moment. “I want to bring a little bit of spirit of Christmas back to my hometown in any way that I can.”…