Biggest helping hands for little tots

Photo By Chief Petty Officer Brian Morales | Naval Air Station Key West Commanding Officer Capt. Steve McAlearney accepts an appreciation plaque from Monroe County Toys for Tots Coordinators Michael Biggi and retired Gunnery Sgt. Louis Slagle at Boca Chica Field. Organizer Legalman 1st Class Quenise Crigler, from Greenwood, Miss., and Sailors who ran the campaign collected more than 10,000 toys for more than 4,000 families, the most in the entire country. NAS Key West is a state-of-the-art facility for air-to-air combat fighter aircraft of all military services and provides world-class pierside support to U.S. and foreign naval vessels. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Brian Morales/ Released  

KEY WEST, FL, UNITED STATES

05.01.2014

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Brian Morales 

Naval Air Station Key West

KEY WEST, Fla. - Monroe County Toys for Tots Coordinators Michael Biggi and retired Gunnery Sgt. Louis Slagle presented Naval Air Station Key West Commanding Officer Capt. Steve McAlearney with an appreciation plaque from Marine Forces Reserve Lt. Gen. Steven Hummer at Boca Chica Field, May 1.

The plaque was in recognition of NAS Key West personnel gathering more than 10,000 toys for more than 4,000 families during the Christmas holiday.

“I’ve always done it [Toys for Tots] throughout my career,” said NAS Key West Toys for Tots Organizer Legalman 1st Class Quenise Crigler, from Greenwood, Miss. “When I transferred here, I took it over.”

Crigler and 23 volunteers assigned to local tenant commands started collecting the toys in November around the Florida Keys area at various business establishments and stored them at Sigsbee Community Center until delivery on Christmas Eve.

“There’s nothing more fulfilling than to give gifts to children,” Crigler added.

Crigler plans on collecting toys for the charity again this coming November.

• Date Taken: 05.01.2014
• Date Posted: 05.06.2014 15:31
• Story ID: 128918
• Location: KEY WEST, FL, US