Video by Patty Stocker
In its 11th year, Jim Arciero’s Annual Sun Santa/Toys For Tots event was held a little differently. Instead of an indoor gala with gift baskets raffled off, silent auctions, and unwrapped toys dropped under the tree, Representative Arciero held a drive-thru event on Dec. 12 at the Abbot School in Westford.
Some notables in attendance were U.S. Congresswoman Lori Trahan, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan, Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian, state Sen. Ed Kennedy, Andrea Peraner-Sweet and Anita Tonakarn-Nguyen from the Select Board, Westford Health Director, Jeff Stephens, and of course, Santa Claus.
But it was the steady stream of cars that was most impressive. Vehicles filled with smiling faces and unwrapped toys to be donated to the US Marine Corp Honor Guard’s Toys for Tots program. So many donations were made on that chilly, gray morning that they not only filled Santa Claus’ white pickup sleigh, but they surrounded it. Many came bearing checks for the Sun Santa Fund, sponsored by Lowell Sun Charities, which has assisted children and families in the greater Lowell area during the holiday season for the past 32 years.
A second drive-thru event was held later in the day at the Littleton Police Station.
All in all another successful Sun Santa/Toys for Tots event for Arciero. One filled with much laughter and camaraderie and all for a cause. Chalk it up to another “Let’s figure out how we can accomplish this during a pandemic” kind of day.
