CARLSBAD, Calif. (KGTV) — Several San Diego-area kids will have a happy holiday season thanks to the generous gift of a mystery donor.
"No one knows who he is," said Brian Miller, owner of Geppetto's at The Forum Carlsbad.
Miller calls this time of year his favorite. This year, Geppetto's is working for the first time with Toys for Tots, the only charity event organized by the United States Department of Defense and has been called an official mission of the Marine Corps Reserve.
"I love making kids happy," Miller said. "The Marines pick out toys for the kids of all ages. Toys for boys and girls."
And Miller will be the first to tell you that this year of giving has been extra special. He's referring to one very generous donor who chose to remain anonymous.
"He walked in and said he wanted to spend $80,000," Miller said. "That's way more than ever before."
It was enough toys to fill two 30-foot moving trucks.
"That's going to make so many kids in need very happy this year," he said. "It's so incredible, as this donor wants to make kids happy and he also loves the military."
Dating back close to 75 years, the vision of the Toys for Tots Program was to collect toys for children in need.
"We enjoy giving back," Major Duane Blank of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve said. "It's the only reason we joined the Marine Corps in the first place.
"I've had recruits tell me the whole reason they joined the Marine Corps was because they were an underprivileged family, and they remember Toys for Tots giving them Christmas when their parents couldn't do it for themselves."
