The University of Central Arkansas Athletics Department has partnered with the Bear Community Champions, Halter’s Body Shop, Sam’s Club and Second Baptist Church for the annual Toys for Tots in December to collect toys for children in need. 

For each home basketball game, men’s and women’s, fans are encouraged to bring a toy for donation and in return will receive $5 off their ticket.

Along with the Bear Community Champions Toys for Tots drive, there are a couple of special promotions:

• 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec.15 – Festive in Farris featuring ornament coloring station
• 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 18 – UCA Education Day
• 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21 – Festive in Farris featuring cookie decorating station

For ticket information please call the UCA Ticket Office at 501.852.2234. 

The Toys for Tots program is run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve. Toys collected are distributed to children whose parents are unable to afford to buy gifts for Christmas. 

The program was originally founded in 1947 by reservist Major Bill Hendricks. Statistics from the toysfortots.org website state that 258 million children have been supported to date with 566 million toys distributed.

In the Faulkner County area alone, Toys for Tots has supported more than 3,340 children and distributed 22,654 toys.