WATCH: TPA recognized for Tampa Bay area's largest Toys for Tots donation
The Marine Corps Reserve presented TPA and its partners with the Commander's Award for collecting nearly 14,000 toys for less fortunate kids.
After weeks of collecting donations and shopping for toys, Tampa International Airport is proud to announce the donation of nearly 14,000 toys to the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program. This is the Airport’s largest donation to date, blowing the top off the previous record thanks to help from various Airport partners including fixed-based operators Sheltair Aviation Services and Signature Aviation, with both companies assisting with massive donations of their own.
As a result, the Airport was presented the Commander's Award for collecting more toys than any other organization in the Tampa Bay area.
Employees from the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority, which runs Tampa International Airport, started collecting early with various employee fundraisers, including the Airport’s annual Chili Cook-Off, before hitting the aisles to shop for thousands of toys. TPA employees put cashiers at the Wesley Chapel Target to the test as they rung up more than 4,000 toys in a single morning.
Our partners at Sheltair also came through big, partnering with Vick Tipnes of Tipnes Media Productions for a charity event which helped bring in an additional 12,000-plus toys. Not to be outdone, Signature Flight Support donated a $25,000 check and 50 bicycles. Other Airport partners – including Manhattan Construction, Kimmins Contracting Corp., Airborne Maintenance & Engineering Services, Hensel Phelps, DPR Construction, Suffolk and Beck -- also held events of their own, contributing to the greater TPA collection.
The donated toys were gathered at Tampa International Airport’s Main Terminal where the Marine Corps Reserve arrived to load up three full truckloads of toys, headed for eventual delivery to local children.
Tampa International Airport and its partners were presented the Commander’s Award for collecting more toys this year than any other organization in the Tampa Bay area.
Since 2013, TPA employees along with Airport business partners have collected and donated more than 42,000 toys and hundreds of bicycles for the Marine Corps’ program which benefits families across Tampa Bay.