North Carolina State University Athletics
TIM PEELER: Pack Athletes Make Brighter Holidays for Kids
12/14/2006 12:00:00 AM | Pack Athletics
BY TIM PEELER
Football players DaJuan and DeAndre Morgan remember the joy they felt when they received gifts at Christmas from Toys for Tots when they were growing up in
“Toys for Tots was very beneficial for my family when I was growing up, being that my mom was the only support system with four kids,” says Morgan, who will be entering his junior season as a safety on the Wolfpack football team. “It helped us have happy Christmases and we were grateful for that. It brightened up our lives to open up presents.
“That’s the reason I want to participate in this program, and hopefully one day I will be able to donate even more.”
Fans who bring a gift valued at $5 or more to the
The toys will be collected by athletes at the game and distributed to both Toys for Tots, the national charitable program of the United States Marines, and the Kids Caf, a local after-school program for kids 15 and under.
The toy drive is one of several projects sponsored by the SAAC that help make brighter holidays for area kids. Athletes from ten of NC State's varsity sports have collected money from their teammates to buy clothes and toys for 14 area foster children.
The Toys for Tots campaign is also particularly important to new NC State football coach Tom O’Brien, who served in the Marines after his playing career at Navy. He was recently named as one of the 11 Board of Directors of the Toys for Tots Foundation.
“Don’t forget the kids this Christmas,” O’Brien said during his introductory press conference Saturday. “We have to get every kid a present.”
Morgan, who will play for O’Brien next fall, knows the joy of opening a new toy for Christmas and gives three strong reasons why fans should support the SAAC’s toy drive.
“One, you should do it because you can touch a child’s life by giving them a gift,” Morgan says. “That’s something they will appreciate, enjoy and never forget.
“Two, you should turn the tables around. How would you feel if you didn’t get a gift at Christmas. Wouldn’t you want to have something to open?
“Three, this is the time of the year that we celebrate the giving spirit and having a kind heart. A child could be devastated if he or she doesn’t receive a gift. Helping out a child in any way is a great cause.”
Morgan and his brother know that receiving a new toy or gift at Christmas can be a life-changing experience. They distinctly remember one of the Toys for Tots gifts they got a few Christmases ago, long before they began their successful athletic careers that earned them college scholarships at NC State.
A new football.
“That was our love when we were growing up,” Morgan says. “I remember we went right outside and started playing with it.”
You may contact Tim Peeler at tim_peeler@ncsu.
