Major Bill Hendricks
Marine Corps Reserve - Toys for Tots Program
It all began in December 1947, with a hand crafted Raggedy Ann Doll. The wife of Marine Reserve Major Bill Hendricks made the doll and asked her husband to deliver to an organization that would present it to a needy child on Christmas Day.
Major Hendricks could find no agency to provide such a service. To help fill that void, Major Hendricks and members of his Los Angeles Marine Reserve Unit, collected and distributed 5,000 toys to needy children of Los Angeles during Christmas 1947. The seed was planted and Toys for Tots was born. The following year the Marine Corps Reserve adopted the program and collected and distributed toys in 74 communites nationwide.
The Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program collection and distribution sites have become an important and familiar element of the Christmas Holiday landscape. To many people, Christmas is not complete without Marines, in dress blues, collecting and distributing toys to the less fortunate children of their communities.
Anything you enjoy doing, you generally do very well. So it is with the Marine Corps Reserve and their Toys for Tots program. Over the years Marine reservists have been extremely successful and have worked tirelessly to meet the ever growing demand for toys that enable parents, who may not otherwise be able, to provide their children with a Christmas toy and to answer their child's Christmas dream.
The Toys for Tots program has grown tremendously since its inception. Today, Toys for Tots serves over 600 local communities covering all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, and The Virgin Islands. Now, more than ever, Toys for Tots needs the assistance of members of the local community to help us make it better than ever.
Businesses and individuals are very important to us. It's a way you can give back to your community and to its less fortunate children. You can support Toys for Tots by donating a NEW, UNWRAPPED toy at a toy collection site near you, or by assisting us with toy collection, sorting, or distribution, helping to coordinate special toy raising functions is another way of getting involved.
Local businesses are instrumental in the success of the Toys for Tots program. You can generate or purchase media attention for the program, sponsor a toy raising event, provide an essential service like printing or transportation, or simply allow your place of business to be a toy drop off location. Monetary donations also accepted.
THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT WE ARE ALL LOCAL PEOPLE HELPING LOCAL FAMILIES. THIS IS THE CHRISTMAS MISSION OF YOUR MARINE CORPS RESERVE TOYS FOR TOTS.
My Best Friend
Marine Corps League History
The Marine Corps League was established in 1923 by Major General John A. Lejeune
Received a Federal Charter by act of Congress on August 1937
The only Federally Chartered Marine Corps related organization in the country
Current membership is in excess of 62000
Current and former Marines are all eligible for membership
Associate member - is anyone interested in promoting the Marine Corps
League
Verde Valley Detachment
Chartered July 2004 One of 23 Detachments under the Department of Arizona
Dark July and August
Meets every month
Meetings rotate between Cottonwood and Camp Verde
(American Legion - Cottonwood
VFW - Camp Verde) If you are interested in attending
a meeting, call (928) 649-3747 for more information.
Programs the Verde Valley area which encompasses - Camp Verde,
Clarkdale, Cornville, Cottonwood, Jerome, Rimrock and
Lake Montezuma.
Acknowledges the elderly at Christmas Time. 
You may make donations to our local campaign (all monies will stay helping the Verde Valley area). Make sure you send your donations to the following address: Make checks out to Toys for Tots. All donations are tax deductible.
Verde Valley Toys for Tots Campaign
PO Box 2286
Cottonwood, AZ 86326
Contact person is: Krys Vogler, LCO
Phone: 928-649-3747
Thank you for your support
If you wish to donate by using a credit card you may go to the Marine Corps Toys for Tots web page. (www.toysfortots.org. Please be sure to type in additional information as to where you would like your money designated to be deposited. If you want it donated to our local toys for tots please be sure to type in the flollowing code name AZCOTT.