Kiwanis President Mernaysa Rivera-Bujosa and Program Chairman James Lynch display a couple of more than one hundred donated toys at the annual event.

On Thursday, December 9, the Kiwanis Club of Somerville were joined by members of the Somerville Lions Club and the Somerville Rotary Club for their annual combined luncheon meeting to support the Marine Corps Toys For Tots campaign.

More than one hundred toys were collected by the members and brought to the lunch meeting. The toys donated will be given to deserving children in Middlesex County. In addition, Program Chairman Jay Lynch came to the luncheon with a generous donation from the employees and customers from the Middlesex Federal Savings Bank.

Jill Bowdring and her dad, Jim Bowdring, are coordinating the delivery of toys to more than 150 local children next week.

Kiwanis President Mernaysa Rivera-Bujosa expressed her thanks with the turnout and the donations which will support this annual program.

Toys For Tots was founded in 1947 and has delivered more than 604 million toys to 272 million children, and the need is greater than ever. If you wish to support Toys For Tots, there is still time to donate. There are donation locations nearby, or to make a cash donation go to www.ToysForTots.org.

In a separate program, next week, Kiwanis Members will deliver toys to nearly 150 local children identified as most in need. To learn more about the Somerville Kiwanis Club, to become a member or support our local programs, go to www.somervillekiwanis.org and select “contact us.”

Some of more than 100 toys donated to Toys for Tots.

President Mernaysa Rivera-Bujosa with Kiwanis Lieutenant Governor Patti Costas.

Somerville Rotary Club members.

Somerville Lions Club members.