“Christmas in July” on Saturday, July 22 at the Burlington County Farmers’ Market got holiday fundraising started early.
Sometimes, Santa Claus stops in Moorestown on his way back from his July vacation. Tropical shirt and red hat adorned, Santa came to the Burlington County Farmers’ Market to start collecting toys early for Toys for Tots.
The event, hosted jointly by the Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders and Marine Corps League Detachment №695, collected new and unused wrapped toys on Saturday, July 22, at the market on Centerton Road in Moorestown, to be distributed during the winter holidays.
Each year, rain or shine, Santa arrives in a red convertible escorted by his “reindeer” consisting of the Warriors’ Watch Riders motorcycle group. The group provides motorcycle escorts for military units and individuals returning home from war.
Bob Matkowski, chairman of the Rose Program at Detachment №695, said the site is quite the spectacle, and children are thrilled to see Santa arrive in such splendor. Santa is then greeted and saluted by a line of Marines from the detachment.
Mary Pat Robbie, Burlington County Resource Conservation director, said the freeholders have continued to host the event for the last four or five years because it makes that day at the market a special occasion for everyone in attendance.
“I think the freeholders have always been supportive of our military and these types of efforts,” Robbie said.
Near the holidays, it’s easy to get people to donate, but Detachment №695 wanted to start its efforts earlier. Matkowski said it collects toys at a variety of locations around Burlington County and specifically began collecting toys in the fall a few years ago at the Farmers’ Market.
When Matkowski saw another detachment post online about its “Christmas in July” efforts, it got him thinking about bringing a similar program to his group to invigorate donations earlier in the year. When he suggested the idea to the farmers’ market organizers, he said they were more than receptive.
Last year, Detachment №695 distributed more than 60,000 toys to 16,000 children in Burlington County, Matkowski said.
“This free family-friendly event is a fun way to get into the holiday spirit early and support a good cause,” Freeholder Linda Hughes said.
Today, market goers have come to expect Santa’s yearly presence. Matkowski said this year, he was even contacted in advance of Saturday’s event by people planning to donate toys to the cause.
Each year, Matkowski explains to the children in attendance that Santa was on vacation and decided to stop in Moorestown on his way back to the North Pole. He said kids’ eyes light up at the thought.
Attendees were encouraged to get into the holiday spirit early with live music and cooking demonstrations where they learned to Christmas spiced tea lattes.
The detachment brings four large bins to hold the toys, and Matkowski said at least three are always by the time they’re done. The toys are transported for storage at the home of Bill Wilson, the detachment’s certified Toys for Tots coordinator.
In December, the detachment and its ladies auxiliary will spend up to two weeks organizing the toys for distribution in Wilson’s downstairs, which cover the entirety of his room, Matkowski said.
Unlike toy drives near the holidays, “Christmas in July” gives Detachment №695 members an opportunity to talk to the people donating in an unhurried way.
“It’s just kind of really amazing to see how generous people are and how much they appreciate what’s happening,” Matkowski said.
