In its second year, Palm Tran’s Stuff-the-Bus employee driven toy drive was a bigger success than Executive Director Clinton B. Forbes imagined. When Forbes saw all the donations piled together, on a bus, headed to Pahokee: “There’s more than 500 toys here, in these barrels and boxes. Wow!” Forbes exclaimed. Last year, the first for the drive, Palm Tran’s Stuff-the-Bus collected slightly more than 300 toys to give to the Palm Beach County League of Cities for distribution to underprivileged kids in the Tri-Cities.
For the 2018 drive, to make a bigger impact in Belle Glade, Pahokee and South Bay, Palm Tran began collecting toys in mid-October. The new and unwrapped toys slowly trickled into the teal collection barrels placed at all four of Palm Tran’s locations: two in West Palm Beach, Belle Glade and Delray Beach, but by the time the campaign closed, the toys were overflowing outside the barrels.
And on December 7, 2018, at the Palm Beach County League of Cities Annual Tri-Cities Barbecue, a stuffed Palm Tran bus pulled into the parking lot at the Pahokee Marina ready to deliver the more than 500 toys collected by Palm Tran. Combined with donations from other County departments brought to the barbecue, roughly 1,000 toys were collected.
“This is unbelievable. The children who live in the Glades are very lucky this year,” said Pahokee City Manager Chandler Williamson.
“It’s incredible to see the mountain of toys. Without these donations, some of these kids, who are those County departments have had contact with, might not have anything to open on Christmas,” Forbes said.
“It’s important that no child is forgotten during the holiday season,” Palm Beach County Mayor Mack Bernard said. “It’s a great feeling knowing these donations will really help some of the most in-need,” he added.
After the thousand plus toys were divvied up among the Tri-City communities, each set aside a night to make sure the children were given a chance to choose a toy they really wanted. In Pahokee on December 19, 2018, half a dozen Palm Tran bus operators volunteered their time to help those kids fulfill their wish lists. Bus Operator Meredith Collins said: “It’s all about the community. And there are a lot of kids waiting in line to get a toy.”
Pahokee City Commissioner Diane Walker with tears in her eyes, said: “Thank you Palm Tran for all you did. You mean so much to this community.”
As the last few kids were winding through, one little girl, about four years old, holding the hand of a Palm Tran employee, gasped, eyes widened and picked up a toy medical kit. “This is what I always wanted.” she said and hugged it close to her chest.
Williamson reflected on that night: “About 130 families in Pahokee were able to be assisted, this is by far the largest toy collection I’ve seen in last five years.”
Considerable donations were also made by the Palm Beach County Library System.
Several children who were in attendance at the Tri-Cities Barbecue also received toys.
From left to right: Assistant County Administrator Todd J. Bonlarron and Palm Tran Executive Director Clinton B. Forbes at the Tri-Cities Barbecue in Pahokee.
From left to right: Palm Beach County Mayor Mack Bernard, Palm Beach County Assistant Administrator Faye W. Johnson, Palm Tran Executive Director Clinton B. Forbes
