By RODNEY HART
Herald-Whig Staff Writer

Candi Maas takes care of a massive Christmas shopping list every year, but not for herself.

Maas is the local coordinator of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys For Tots program. She helped get more than 11,000 new toys to deserving area children last year.

"It's been around since 1947, and it's a well-known and reputable organization," Maas said. "We've grown, and it's a good organization to donate too."

The Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program collects new and unwrapped toys during October, November and December. The toys are distributed as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community.

Maas has been the local coordinator for 11 years. She gets requests for toys from schools, social workers, day care providers, food pantries and other groups from all over West Central Illinois to Northeast Missouri.

"I like to say that we get bigger and better every year," Maas said.

Toys For Tots has collection boxes at places like Wal-Mart, Kmart and others. Maas and other volunteers gather in the basement of the WCU Building on Maine Street in Quincy to fill lists and wrap presents.

Toys range from baby rattles to remote control cars, dolls to footballs and basketballs, makeup to other age-appropriate items.

Toys for Tots delivered toys nationally to more than 7.5 million children in 2007. With more than 13 million children living in poverty, Toys for Tots officials say a big need for the program still exists.

Cash donations are used to buy and distribute age and gender appropriate gifts to economically disadvantaged children.

Maas said she collected about $14,000 last year to purchase toys. She waits until later in December to go shopping.

"We buy a lot of toys, and this year I'm waiting until the last possible minute," she said. "It helps to know what the ages are for when you go shopping for them."

Toys for Tots has an array of activities throughout the year, including golf tournaments, foot races and bicycle races designed to increase interest in the program and generate toy and monetary donations.

WGEM and The Quincy Herald-Whig are local Toys For Tots sponsors.

More information is available by calling Maas at Geise Plumbing during regular work hours at (217) 223-5437 or by going online to www.toysfortots.org.

-- rhart@whig.com / 221-3370