Operation Toy Train Returns To NJ For the 2023 Holiday Season

Operation Toy Train, will once again be running a toy collection train to benefit the Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots Foundation. Since starting the train in 2009, their group of dedicated volunteers has now expanded the collection to be a 36-stop, 4-state endeavor for 2023.

Carolyn Hoffman is the President of Operation Toy Train and she joined Jim Monaghan on Jersey Magazine to talk about the organization and the plans for this year.

For the fifteenth holiday season in a row, local nonprofit Operation Toy Train will roll out its special train to collect toy donations for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Foundation and benefit underprivileged children. This year’s train schedule includes brand new stops in western Connecticut, eastern Pennsylvania, and southern New Jersey, adding to the longstanding operations in northern New
Jersey and southern New York. From November to December, the train aims to collect over 30,000 toys from 36 locations across four states.

In addition to using its own specialized railroad equipment, Operation Toy Train partners with several local railroads and non-profit organizations that generously donate their railcars, personnel, and time to operate the train. This year, the collection train will operate over 200 miles across seven railroads and four states between Nov. 12 and Dec. 16, including three stationary events. The full schedule is available at www.OperationToyTrain.org/schedule.

Members of the public are encouraged to visit the train at any of its stops to donate new toys in their original packaging (no gift wrapping, please!). Attendees at each stop can also participate in on-site activities sponsored by the towns and local businesses, meet Santa Claus, view a variety of historic railroad equipment, and meet members of the Marine Corps and the Operation Toy Train program. For those that can’t make it to one of the train’s stops, local businesses and organizational partners near each stop have received large Toys for Tots collection boxes where they can collect toy donations in advance and deliver them to the train.

After the toys are delivered to the Marines, they are redistributed as holiday gifts to underprivileged and less-fortunate children in the communities where the campaigns are conducted.

The Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Foundation is holding its annual Veterans Music Fest on November 11th, from 1-8 PM at D'Jais Bar, at 1801 Ocean Avenue in Belmar, New Jersey.

Hosted by the Veterans Foundation of America, the event is open for all people to join in, absorb the November air at the shore, listen to some great live music and honor and celebrate the sacrifices of those who have served.

There's a great lineup of bands for this year's festivities -

This year's event is sponsored by Horizon NJ Health, NJEDA, NJSBDC, and the NJ State Veterans Chamber of Commerce,

Tickets for the music festival are $20 and can be purchased here. Admission is free for veterans and active military.

All proceeds raised by the music fest will go toward supporting outdoor veteran therapy programs, including fishing and equine therapy.

If you would like more information about the event or would just like more information on how to show support for veterans in general, please visit the Veterans Foundation of America website at www.thevfa.org or contact Jeff Cantor at jeff@thevfa.org

Hi Rock N' Ruffers!

It's TC and I feel so fortunate doing the Rock N' Ruff program at WDHA because I have the opportunity to meet so many incredible dogs and cats from the many shelter organizations we work with and also have made many personal friends along the way like my friend Sunny Nowell from Friends Of The Randolph Regional Animal Shelter who always hits me up with GREAT animals in need of loving homes. Last week's shepherd pup Liam got adopted quickly by a great family with a doggie sister and this week his buddy "Miss Pretty" is hoping she is just as lucky!

Miss Pretty is some sort of bulldog mix, (and her name fits her perfectly because she's really pretty!) is about a year old and very friendly, loving, well behaved, excited to meet new friends, does well on leash, loves going for walks, and hanging out by your side  and is dog AND cat friendly! In fact, she would really benefit from a doggy sibling to play with in the household as she has made many friends at the shelter during her stay there.

For information on adoption or fostering to adopt (as the shelter has a wonderful foster to adopt program so don't be shy about asking about it) you can check out their website  Randolph Regional Animal Shelter , give them a call at 973-543-9333 or stop by their location at 97 Ironia Road in Mendham NJ.

Jeremy Sheetinger is the head baseball coach at Georgia Gwinnett College where he led the Grizz Gang to the 2021 NAIA National Championship.

These quick hits may, on the surface, be geared toward his fellow baseball coaches, but his motivational message can easily be applied to the classroom, workplace, and your personal relationships.

This week, Coach Sheets talks about keeping ego in check and make it about others...family...friends.

Looking for something fun to do in the area? Chris Swendeman has you covered with this week's Local Look.

There are always so many fun events happening in our local communities.  Check out what's in store for this week in New Jersey.

And that's your Local Look for this week on The Jersey Magazine.  If you'd like your event to be featured on The Local Look, you can email us at JerseyMagazine@wdhafm.com.  See you next week on 105.5 WDHA.