Valley Stream Neighbors in the News

A Q&A with Mayor Fare on Valley Stream Toys for Tots 2024

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As the holiday season fades into memory and January 2025 settles in, Valley Stream residents once again rallied around their annual Toys for Tots drive this holiday season, collecting hundreds of toys for children who might otherwise go without. The culmination of this year’s effort—a caravan of fire trucks, a flatbed loaded with donations, and Santa Claus riding shotgun—was a vivid display of the community’s commitment to spreading holiday cheer.

Mayor Fare, alongside the Valley Stream Fire Department, has become a central figure in this growing tradition. We spoke with him about the program’s evolution, the impact on recipients, and the sense of collective purpose it brings to the village each year.

 


Q: How does this event reflect Valley Stream’s sense of community during the holiday season?

Mayor Fare: It is certainly heartwarming to see the community participate and donate toys to children that otherwise would not have any gifts during the holiday season. The phrase “it is better to give than to receive” comes to mind. It’s a good feeling to put that new, unwrapped toy into the collection bins, knowing that it will brighten a child’s day, week, month, even year. Our community knows that, respects that, and wholeheartedly participates.

 


Q: Can you share how the Winterfest toy drive has evolved over the years?

Mayor Fare: Fortunately, it has grown exponentially and gotten bigger and better every year. Back in the beginning, we loaded toys into a Public Safety or Code Enforcement car and drove to the collection site. As years went by, the collections grew so much that we needed help from Valley Stream’s Volunteer Fire Department—not only for their fire trucks to transport the toys, but for the firefighters to help us pack, load, and unload all the donations. And now, for the last few years, we’ve had so many toys that we needed flatbed trucks from Northstar Collision to hold them all!

 


Q: Do you have an estimate of how many toys were collected this year compared to previous years?

Mayor Fare: Our Toys for Tots collections have increased every year. While we have never counted every toy, the number of bins loaded onto the trucks says it all. A picture is worth a thousand words.

 


Q: What kind of impact do you hope these donations will have on the children receiving them?

Mayor Fare: There is no doubt that for some of these children, the Toys for Tots program will be the only joy they experience during this holiday season. I’ve personally participated in some of the individual toy distributions, and the look on these children’s faces is priceless and heartwarming. They experience hope, joy, and happiness during what could be the most difficult time of their lives.

 


Q: How significant is the role of the Valley Stream Fire Department in making this event a success?

Mayor Fare: It is not an exaggeration to say that the Village of Valley Stream could not fully participate in the Marines Toys for Tots Campaign without the volunteers from the Valley Stream Fire Department and Northstar Collision!

 


Q: How can residents get involved in supporting events like this in the future?

Mayor Fare: The collection bins are located all throughout the village. The Valley Stream Chamber of Commerce takes an active role in helping with this yearly campaign. Our village employees and staff are vital to the collection and delivery of all the toy bins. Our Recreation Department and even our official village Santa Claus participate and make this toy collection more successful every year. Residents can stay informed through our website, social media platforms, and Village Green household mailings. We always welcome participation and community spirit.

 


Q: What does this event mean to you personally, as Mayor and as a resident of Valley Stream?

Mayor Fare: You’ve heard me say this countless times: Nothing makes an elected official happier than community involvement and volunteerism. There are so many ways to get involved in our community and make your village a better place. To see the turnout of residents simply placing toys in the bins, to all of the staff and volunteers packing, loading, delivering, and unloading the toys, could melt anyone’s heart. We can all be proud of Valley Stream’s outreach programs—I know I am.