The first of December found 6 members of GA-1 plus other Marines, about 20 in all on the floor of a U-Haul warehouse bright and early on a cold and rainy Saturday. Throughout the 3 1/2 hour shift these Marines and over 100 civilians divided incoming toys into appropriate age groups, unloaded them out of boxes and onto pallets for ease of access, broke down empty boxes, and began filling orders from agency requests. Hard work, camaraderie, and lots of goofing off as only Marines can accomplish was the order of the day.
The President of the Atlanta-area Toys for Tots gave us all Toys for Tots Challenge Coins for the exceptional hard work we all had accomplished. Being the Volunteer Coordinator, I was called up to the staff break room to meet with the President. She told me she needs Marines working in the warehouse every day and had me look out across the warehouse. To the left were extremely neat rows of boxes filled with bags of toys for the agencies. In the middle were sections of both toys and bags of toys all about. To the right, were neatly arranged pallets of toys, neat piles of bags of toys, and an almost completely empty wall where had earlier been pallet after pallet filled with stacks of boxed toys taller than each of us. The left had been a small group of Marine Corps Officer Cadets. The right had been our small group of Marine Veterans. About 10 in each group. The middle had been the civilians. We had left almost nothing for the afternoon shift to do! That. Is. Outstanding!
Seriously, ladies, if you had any doubts before, doubt no more, cause we rock out loud! We proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that while we may be living life in the civilian world, many of us broken down and not quite up to Marine Corps standards any longer, we are still Marines and will be for life. Who else could accomplish an 8-hour day's worth of work in less than 3 1/2 all while taking more than a little time to goof around and have fun?? That's right! Marines!
Oorah!!!
Comments