Toy Story Too: Christmas In July For North Shore Families In Beverly

BEVERLY, MA — More than 30 families in need from across Essex County got to enjoy a Christmas party in the summer heat — complete with a gift — at the Beverly Veterans Affairs office on Saturday as part of the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots campaign.

The Beverly Veteran Affairs office acts as a year-round Toys for Tots location and also storage for other collection sites that bring in donations after the cutoff for the last holiday's dispersal. That overflow allowed a July toy giveaway this year in an effort to clear space for the upcoming holiday season.

Beverly Veterans Agent David Perenchief said about 30 families made it to the ticketed event, which included a brief screening process to determine the need for the donation program.

"It went really well," U.S. Marine Maj. Utah Gentry told Patch. "There was a lot of community involvement. They had food, drinks, and everything set up for us. Then you had the children coming through picking up the toys and having fun. It seemed very well supported."

The Beverly Veterans Affairs office became the first year-round drop-off location for Toys for Tots in October.

"That site is absolutely essential in regard to our Toys for Tots program," Gentry said. "It's a big win for us to have that location and have that staff supporting us when we are not in the season for the Toys for Tots mission."

The Beverly Veterans Affairs office, along with Beverly Vietnam Veterans, Beverly Public Schools and the USMC Reserve Command combined to host Saturday's event.

"The main benefit is we get to get out and get to present a solid reputation for the Marine Corps," Gentry said. "We engage with the community in a positive fashion and not only support the children with toys but we get to show that the Marines are not just a war-fighting organization and that we are also there to serve the community."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)