Marine Corps League Very Active This Holiday Season

Newtown Square's General Smedley D. Butler Detachment, Marine Corps League participates in many holiday related activities. At the top of the list is the annual Toys for Toys program. Every year at this time, the S.D. Butler Detachment supports the Marine Reserve which operates the T4T program. Marine Dan Luty, a Past Commandant of the Detachment heads the program. At the November meeting in early November, Dan distributes the well recognized large T4T collection boxes to Detachment members. The members then set up the boxes at numerous pre-determined locations throughout the Marple Newtown vicinity. As the boxes are filled, the members take the donated toys to a central collection location where they await a final collection by the Marine Corps Reserve for distribution to needy children throughout the area. The boxes remain at their original location until the last day for collection. Our depository is Videon Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram on West Chester Pike in Newtown Square. Videon's customers are treated to a floor display of multiple T4T boxes filled with donated toys.

On Tuesday Wednesday December 5, the Gen. Smedley D. Butler Detachment held its annual catered Christmas Party at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Newtown Street Road. The Party includes Detachment members and members of the Auxiliary. As the readers may have guessed, the "price of admission" was a new unwrapped toy for our Toys for Tots box. Once the business meeting was completed and officers for next year were elected, all attendees enjoyed the repast.

In addition, members of the Detachment annually participate in the Tree Lighting Ceremony at St. Alban's Circle. This year the Ceremony took place at 7 pm on December 6. An annual favored event, it is hosted by the Newtown Square Historical Society. There was entertainment, refreshments and of course Santa who arrived on a fire truck to magically light the 50' + tree planted 45 years ago by the Girl Scouts. Our Detachment's Marines provided a Toys for Tots donation box at the Ceremony which was filled by our generous and caring neighbors who want to help the needy children the program serves.

The top three photos depict the Detachment's Christmas Party. The bottom three are from the St. Alban's Tree Lighting Ceremony.