By Eli LOCKE

The La Crescenta Presbyterian Center for Children lent a hand to those less fortunate this holiday season by taking part in the ABC and Firefighters’ 18th Annual Spark of Love Toy Drive.

Despite inclement weather on Tuesday, Dec. 21, about 20 kindergarten-aged children from the Center’s after school program boarded the school van and headed over to L.A. County Fire Station 29 in Montrose to drop off the toys they had collected. While there they enjoyed a tour of the fire station led by firefighter Duke Snyder.

This is the third year that the Center has participated in the Spark of Love toy drive. School director Pat Chambers explained why organizers feel it is important for the children to take part.

“There are kids who don’t have all the blessings we have,” she said. “[We want to teach the children that] it’s good to share and to think of those less fortunate.”

Chambers added that the children weren’t hesitant to give the toys that they collected.

“They all came back very excited and I think they felt good about bringing the toys in,” Chambers said. She added that the Center holds other collection events throughout the year. “It’s ongoing and helps the children look beyond themselves and also beyond La Crescenta.”

Asked if the weather was a deterrent, Chambers said that she was sure that the children all felt warm inside.

Robin GOLDSWORTHY contributed to this article

  helping children, LCPC, Spark of Love