Vista Hi-Noon Rotary members (l to r) Debbie King, Marie Smith, Chuck Rabel, Devon Richardson, Bill Stein, Robert Crowell, Sue McFarland, Jim Zoucha (NSD Young Marines), Steve Lilly and Chris Keane, Executive Director of Camp Pendleton Armed Forces YMCA.
Thirty-two years is a long time. That’s how long the Vista Hi-Noon Rotary Club has been providing support to local military families at Camp Pendleton during the holiday season. This annual holiday food and toy drive is sanctioned through the Camp Pendleton Armed Services YMCA.
Each year the Vista Hi-Noon Rotary Club members sponsor a food and toy drive that ultimately extends a holiday meal (including a turkey, yams, mashed potatoes, classic stuffing, beans, corn, etc.) and a selection of two toys per child to be placed under each family’s tree. With the involvement of our club members and support from community partners, we are able to make a very important difference for 50 young Marine families
The Vista Hi-Noon Rotary Club partners each year with the Assistance League of North County to successfully collect over 150 toys and with Food 4 Less each year for the annual food drive with customers at the Food 4 Less located on Hacienda Drive in Vista. This food drive was held on Saturday, December 3rd was a big success this year, thanks to the participation of over a dozen members of the local Young Marines organization – a youth education and service program for boys and girls, age eight through the completion of high school. Rotary members also volunteered their time in support of this event.
The ultimate beneficiaries were 50 marine families on Camp Pendleton who received food items for their holiday dinner and toys for their children. A special thank you to the Vista Hi-Noon Rotary Club, the Assistance League of North County, and the North San Diego Young Marines. Their efforts each year honors the dedication and service of our marine families on Camp Pendleton and makes their holiday season that much brighter—thank you!
