By: B.J. Coleman
For The Alpine Sun
By: B.J. Coleman
For The Alpine Sun
The East County Corps of the local Salvation Army brought the organization’s missions of “doing the most good” into Alpine on the night of Wednesday, December 10. Billed as Stoney & Rob’s Holiday Party & Auction, the festivities were hosted by the Viejas Band of the Kumeyaay Indians at the hotel poolside of the Viejas Casino & Resort complex. The event was intended to raise money for holiday assistance programs of the Salvation Army. Viejas Tribal Council Members attended to acknowledge and support the charitable efforts.
This year’s is the 39th Annual East County Toy and Food Drive. And for 36 years, the Salvation Army has been the principal sponsor conducting the drive. The organization expects to serve around 1,500 families in this Christmas program. “We cannot do this alone,” says Captain Terry Masango, who is pastor leading the El Cajon Corps. “We need the community to support us.” A total of 1,200 to 1,300 families were expected to be interviewed for receiving Christmas toys and holiday food.
Heavy hors d’oeuvres and light beverages fueled the partygoers’ spirits, as did the chance to do good while having fun. A Salvation Army brass band played Christmas favorites as background music for the evening event. The opportunity drawing awarded raffle winners with flower and jewelry certificates. Both silent and live auctioning of prizes were also open for bidding. Donated prizes included such rarities as an authentic home-cooked African meal prepared by Masango and his wife, Rutendo, a football autographed by Charger Keenan Allen, a Google Business Services Bundle worth $4,800, and a three-quarter size Baby Taylor guitar. Other available auction items included travel, restaurant and entertainment packages. Partygoers were asked to donate $20 per person to attend the event.
Highlight of the evening was announcement of the number of toys collected and arranged into a toy store mountain behind the poolside stage. Viejas began partnering with the Salvation Army for the toy drive in 2010, bringing in 360 toys for needy children that year. This year’s goal was for an ambitious number of 14,000 toys. Viejas Casino General Manager Chris Kelley praised his Viejas Team Members for collecting a grand total of 14,702 bicycles, dolls, teddy bears and games for underprivileged families to give to their children. “This is a day for giving back,” Kelley said. “We remember how Christmas shaped us. Generosity and kindness build us as the kind of people we want to be.” (The Padre Dam Municipal Water District also contributed to the toy fundraising and collection this year.)
Masango referred to the toys behind him as a “Tower of Blessing,” which givers and donors had “blessed” in providing for their less fortunate neighbor children. Masango further acknowledged his predecessors who had led the earlier toy drives, especially Stoney Stone, who “started this great thing” in 1975. East County firefighters joined the toy drive efforts in 1983. “There are families here in East County that are in great need,” Masango concluded. “You have blessed us so that we can bless them.”
Salvation Army ministry assistant Taneya Garrett reported about one family being aided this year. The family is young, with children two and seven years of age. Their father suffers from failing kidneys. His request for help was not for himself, however. “Please get my children some toys,” he asked. And his wife’s simpler plea was a prayer, “I pray my husband does not die this Christmas.”
The event included recognition and awards for special service. Among the honorees was Jane Moore, who received the East County Community Leadership Award. This year, she helped raise a donation of $16,000 for Salvation Army programs. She was further acknowledged with certificates of recognition from local elected officials, including Joel Anderson, Dianne Jacob, Duncan D. Hunter and Brian Jones.
The Salvation Army, among the oldest non-profit organizations in existence, serves people’s needs in 126 countries across the globe. Masango notes that the Salvation Army is among “the most trusted in the U.S.,” and that of every dollar donated 87 cents is paid out for those served. The El Cajon Corps of the Salvation Army began serving East County residents in 1979, through the mission group’s dual roles of religious outreach in tandem with effective practical assistance programs, which are especially geared toward quick response during times of community and personal crisis.
The local ministry center in East County, which serves or assists an average of 1,300 families per month, can be visited at 1011 E. Main Street in El Cajon, contacted at (619) 440-4683, ext. 401. More information is also available at www.salvationarmyelcajon.org. The Salvation Army invites East County residents to upcoming holiday events. Christmas Sunday worship is at 10:45 a.m. on December 21, and Christmas Eve services are at 5 p.m. on December 24.
