Want to make a difference in the life of a needy child during Christmastime?
Now’s your chance.
Today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Wal-Mart parking lot, volunteers will be collecting toys for the annual “Stuff the Bus for Sake” event that raises toys, coats and food for children who are selected by the Manteca Unified School District.
A joint effort between the City of Manteca and the Youth Advisory Commission, the Manteca Unified School District and the Silver Barons Motorcycle Club, the event – which until recently included the Christian non-profit Love INC – seeks donations of toys, coats, school supplies, toiletries, gift cards, blankets, sheets and winter clothes to help outfit those who need them.
All of the children who are selected by the district will be invited by the City of Manteca to a special Christmas event at the Manteca Senior Center where they will be cooked dinner and presented with an individual toy or item when they leave to help carry on the spirit of the season.
“Until last year we were getting our referrals from Love INC but this year the school district is going to be providing all of the names of the children, refereed from individual school sites,” said Manteca Recreation Supervisor Brandy Clark. “The seniors really enjoy getting to help whenever they can to make this is something that’s special.”
Last year more than 700 toys were collected over two sites, and Clark thinks that they can hit double that amount this year.
A separate satellite pickup location will be staffed today from 12 to 4 p.m. at Eagles Nest Harley Davidson in Lathrop, and individual barrels have been placed at each of the Manteca Fire Department headquarters as well as the Senior Center who can’t make it down to donate in person.
According to Clark, the event has really been taken over the YAC members who have spearheaded most of the organizing and will play a crucial role all the way through the distribution phase.
“They’re really the ones that have kind of stepped up and taken this to where it was,” Clark said. “It was their project and they’ve really helped make it succeed.”

To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.