First concert fundraiser a big success
A local effort to supply toys for underprivileged children at Christmas reached its 15th year in 2024, and utilized dozens of volunteer gift wrappers and a heavy-metal rock concert to raise funds.
Gilmer County Toys for Tots coordinator, U.S. Marine Sgt. AJ LeCompte, said although final numbers for distribution aren’t yet compiled, this Christmas season’s effort was another tremendous achievement.
“I don’t have all the figures up yet for what’s called the after-action report,” he said of the dispatch that must be sent to the national Toys for Tots Foundation. “I should have that in a few days. But this year, we had the most successful fundraising effort that we’ve ever had for one particular event, although I don’t think we had quite as many kids as we did last year based on the amount of toys I know we’ve given out — but it’s almost 6,000 toys.”
The Gilmer endeavor also has a special distinction.
“Out of 836 Toys for Tots locations, we’re the only site in the U.S. where toys are giftwrapped,” LeCompte reported, and then mentioned a favorite request.
“All the kids keep asking for dinosaurs on the sheets they fill out. Each child decides for four toys and gets a stocking with their name on it.”
Therefore, giftwrapping is a huge endeavor, and dozens of volunteers are needed.
“We can accommodated 32 giftwrappers at our second-floor location at Truist Bank, but this year, we actually had 38 volunteers wrapping toys at one time,” he said.
Concert a smashing success
LeCompte said a recent concert fundraiser with five heavy-metal bands from Atlanta performing in East Ellijay brought in much-needed funds. He elaborated on the concert at The Pub and its impact in an interview with a member of the band $alamanderX, Nick Fredrickson, of Ellijay.
“Toys for Tots was started in 1946 by a Marine colonel and his wife who made handmade dolls,” LeCompte noted. “More Marines wanted to get involved, and it grew from there. The main objective is to give to children the feeling that they are worth something. That’s the reason that we do not give out any used toys, because the child may feel I’m not as important … We’re a nonprofit, not a government entity as some people think.”
An interesting side note he mentioned is that when Toys for Tots became popular decades ago, television and movie-making legend Walt Disney created the design and donated it free to the organization.
Fredrickson said the concert idea was born out of “wanting to do something better for the community.”
“We wanted to help some kids out and we noticed your organization,” he said of fellow musicians during the sit-down interview with LeCompte followed by a tour of the facility. “So we said why don’t we do a fundraiser show for Toys for Tots and help some kids out this Christmas? We brought some of our favorite Atlanta bands from the (heavy metal) scene and raised some money for these kids … we’re ‘metal heads’ but we’re normal people just like everybody else.
“This show surprisingly sold out. It was a crazy night. You had to bring a toy or donate to get in, and I just hope we made an impact.”
In response, LeCompte said he would “try not to get choked up.”
“I’ve been doing this for 15 years here in Gilmer County, and we’ve had fundraisers in the past,” he began. “But this is the first event that we’ve received more money and toys than any other event we’ve ever had. We raised $1,141 from a door admission fee, or you could bring a toy. We had 75 toys that were donated at the entrance. It was fabulous, and the people were wonderful. We had a great time and everyone was so supportive for Toys for Tots that it gets me choked up.”
Fredrickson added, “I’m really grateful that we were able to do this, AJ, and do it with what we’re passionate about doing in our art. It felt great! You’re making such a big impact on their lives. Everyone involved, all the volunteers and all the people are putting their time aside for the greater good.”
“We’re all volunteers, including myself and everyone at the foundation headquarters in (Washington) D.C.,” LeCompte added. “We do this to help the community, to help children, because you gotta remember that when a child is being raised, those young years affect them for the rest of their lives. It’s very important to let the children know that they can make a career for themselves no matter what environment they’re coming from. So that’s the reason that we do all this … we want the children to be able to tear the paper off those toys and say, ‘Wow, look, someone cares about me. Look at these beautiful toys I got this year.’”