As part of the free annual Christmas dinner feast in Yucca Valley, formerly known as Tender Loving Christmas, but now known as Mara’s Christmas Wish after the death of founder Mara Cantelo earlier this year, toys are given out to the children attending the event. Gathering all the toys to be donated is a community-wide effort. Managing editor Tami Roleff says Morongo Basin Ambulance stepped up their efforts this year…
Usually the Morongo Basin Ambulance stops by the Z107.7 studios in Joshua Tree with a gurney filled with toys. But this year, MBA Operations Manager Matt Welsch said the paramedics stepped it up a notch.
“So this year we decided to do a toy drive, and we spent three Saturdays in front of Walmart in Yucca Valley, and had a great turn out from the community donating toys. We also were accepting donations at our station in Joshua Tree.”
Paramedic supervisor Dustin Rascon was at the first Saturday toy drive at Walmart and said the community was happy to make sure children had toys for Mara’s Christmas Wish.
“We had quite a good turnout, a lot of people showed up. By the end of the day… the ambulance was almost one-quarter way full by the time we were leaving.”
But he said some people were also confused about why an ambulance was at Walmart.
“They weren’t really sure what we were doing there; they thought we were doing walk-up medical aid.”
The ambulance crew plans to do it again next year.
“And we’re hoping to continue it next year and grow it and see what else we can do and give back to the community.”
