Sparking Joy: Roque & Mark Continues their Anual Toy Drive
Roque & Mark’s holiday toy drive for Spark of Love is an annual tradition people look forward to. It started many years ago with an idea. One of Roque & Mark’s dedicated vendors, Bob Newbold, was inspired by California wildfires and the children who would be left with nothing to play with after their homes and toys were burned. He began our toy drive that year by donating two bikes, and now Roque & Mark’s contributions are larger than ever. His legacy of involvement lives on, as Bob’s daughter continues to make generous donations to Spark of Love.
For several weeks, toys were collected in our office until December 20th. After which, Roque & Mark property management associates, Miki Dinning and Charlotte Fuchs, dropped off two large boxes at our local fire station. They were deeply appreciative of the toys provided by owners, tenants, staff, handymen, contractors, and friends. One tenant who participated reflected on the project saying, “What a fantastic thing to do for the children…thank you Roque and Mark for such a wonderful undertaking.”
Some of the toys we collected included stuffed animals, action figures, dolls, sports equipment, nail polish and makeup products, cars, puzzles, books, and more. The Santa Monica Fire Department will distribute all of these donations to underserved children and teens in Los Angeles, San Bernadino, Orange, Ventura, and Riverside counties.
While Roque & Mark has finished collecting in our office, if you would still like to help Spark of Love continues to accept toy donations at your local fire station. They are particularly interested in toys for infants and teens, who are often underrepresented in donations. To contribute in other ways, see their website for more information.