On March 7th, the Redwood chapter of Toys for Tots held a Volunteer Celebration Dinner at the Sapphire Palace in Blue Lake Casino Hotel, bringing volunteers from all around the county together to celebrate a successful year of community engagement and support. Toys for Tots is a U.S. Marine Corps program dedicated to collecting and distributing toys to families of children in need during the holiday season. The Redwood Toys for Tots Chapter presides over a large territory, covering over 20,000 square miles of Northern California, one of the largest campaign areas in the country. The Volunteer Celebration Dinner celebrated the impact of the effort that volunteers, donors, and sponsors made in 2025, serving over 10,000 children, and distributing over 33,000 toys, 5,000 books, and 2,000 stocking stuffers to families in Humboldt, Trinity, and Del Norte Counties as well as Native American communities in Siskiyou, Mendocino, and Lake Counties.
Though the campaign serves children for Christmas Day, the effort is year-round. Toys for Tots is 100% volunteer run, from the administration to the warehouse crew. If you are interested in volunteering for Redwood Toys for Tots, sign up here: https://redwoodtoysfortots.org/
During the celebration, Gregg Gardiner, Redwood Toys for Tots Coordinator gave recognition to the leadership team that brings it all together. Doug Brown is stepping in as Co-Coordinator of the program, and will be working alongside Gregg to continue building and strengthening the effort into the future. Jessie James, the Redwood Toys for Tots Volunteer Coordinator did an incredible job coordinating volunteers, organizing schedules, and making sure distribution sites have the people they need. Bob Gooch and Bill Tuttle, Operations Coordinators handle much of the logistics behind the scenes, from transportation to warehousing. Nancy Gooch, Administrative Coordinator helps to ensure everything is organized and that all of the details that make the program function are handled.
In 2025, Redwood Toys for Tots also expanded their bicycle program drastically through the help of the Christine & Jalmer Berg Foundation, who generously funded the expansion of the bicycle program. With an influx of bicycles arriving for the holiday season, more help was needed to ensure that all of the bikes were unloaded and assembled before being given out. The Humboldt Masonic Lodge No. 79 stepped up to help make the expansion possible.
“The Lodge is deeply committed to serving our community, and its members stepped forward in a big way to help us launch this program. They unloaded semi-trucks, assembled bicycles, repaired bikes when needed, and made sure every bicycle was ready for its new owner.” – Doug Brown, Redwood Toys for Tots Co-Coordinator
For nearly 20 years, Blue Lake Casino Hotel has been the leading sponsor of the Toys for Tots Redwood chapter. Each year, the partnership between Toys for Tots, Blue Lake Casino Hotel, and the Blue Lake Rancheria grows stronger. Their joint commitment ensures that no child in our region is forgotten on Christmas – a mission that has become part of the holiday fabric of the region.
“About twenty years ago, Arla Ramsey made a decision that would have a lasting impact on this Toys for Tots campaign. She connected Blue Lake’s Christmas Celebration with the Toys for Tots program, creating a partnership that has continued to grow year after year. Over those two decades, that partnership has generated more than $1 Million to help children in need across Northern California. What began as a partnership became a tradition. And what became a tradition became a legacy. Arla, your leadership and your vision helped create something truly remarkable. On behalf of the Toys for Tots program, our volunteers, and the thousands of children whose lives have been touched by this effort, thank you.” – Gregg Gardiner, Redwood Toys for Tots Coordinator
Originally Published: 3/14/2026