Maybelle Graves was never a big fan of bingo. "I always thought it was boring," said the Mount Macrina Manor resident.
It wasn't until she played her first game 2 1/2 years ago that Graves realized the stuffed animals she won would make great gifts for needy children so she decided to donate them to the Marines Toys for Tots program.
"I've known of Toys for Tots for a long time and I just thought about what I could do with the prizes," said Graves.
As of December, Graves managed to collect 245 stuffed animals that were dropped off by her nephew at a designated location in Connellsville.
Now, Graves looks forward to joining other residents each Wednesday in the activity center where she plays at least four bingo games at one time to increase her chances at winning.
And, once the word about her good tidings got out, fellow residents added to Graves' prize collection by giving her stuffed animals they had won.
"I win a good bit but there are stretches with no wins," said Graves.
Toys for Tots is a non-profit program that collects new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year and distributes them as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community in which the campaign is conducted.
The Toys for Tots foundation provides the funding and support needed for successful annual toy collection and distribution campaigns conducted in nearly 500 communities covering all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
Members of the community drop new, unwrapped toys in collection boxes positioned at local businesses that are picked up by coordinators and stored in central warehouses where the toys are sorted by age and gender.
The toys are generally distributed on Dec. 23 and 25, but will be handed out at the Fayette County Office of Human and Community Services on Dec. 20 and 21 at the FACT Division on Airport Road in Dunbar Township.
Daniel Martin, Fayette County Toys for Tots coordinator and a retired Marine, said more than 1,000 children registered for the program this year while 101 locations were accepting the toys.
Martin said the generosity of the volunteers here could be equally matched to those involved with the program throughout the United States.
The fifth generation of her family, Graves, 87, was born and raised in South Carolina. She moved to Trotter in Dunbar Township where she spent 75 years until becoming a resident four years ago at Mount Macrina.
