The 2013 Toys for Tots drive kicked off a season of toy donations Nov. 9 in Northampton.

The event, held at the Northampton Memorial Community Center, offered food, music and prizes. Advanced ticket sales reached 425. Additional supporters purchased tickets at the door, according to Toys for Tots Coordinator Gunnery Sgt. Edward Mertz, and Marty Hacker of ReMax in Whitehall.

Toys for Tots is an organization founded by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves and, since 1947, has helped children in need to experience a nice Christmas. The mission is to collect new, unwrapped toys and distribute them to less fortunate children in the community.

The local Marines were stationed at the event, collecting toys and donations. The toys collected and the money raised stay in the Lehigh Valley. Last year, 63,000 toys were distributed to children. This year, there is an even larger demand for toys.

"Fundraisers are held all year round, but beginning in October, there is a harder push to begin preparing for the Christmas distribution," Merts said. "This year, we had many requests for toys from local families, much larger than we had in previous years, and so we're hoping that the funds we raise for this event and others to come will help contribute to the purchase of toys for the local children."

This is the first time a kickoff event was held in Northampton. Depending on the outcome, it may be the first of many in the future.

Local deejay Mike Mittman supplied the music for the event, as did a Philadelphia-based cover band, The Exceptions. A raffle and auction were offered with donations from local companies and 99.9 The Hawk offered a prize wheel for guests to spin.

This event was just one of the many events being organized in the Lehigh Valley to raise money for Toys for Tots.

"Being able to see a smile on kids' faces is priceless," Mertz said. "We work constantly from November first until Christmas trying to pull this cause together.

When the toys are collected and accounted for, they are delivered to the Salvation Army stores for distribution to families in need. Volunteers offer their time to help distribute toys to the children before Christmas.

The webpage for Toys for Tots in the Lehigh Valley offers suggestions on where to find toy drop-off locations and also ways in which community members can volunteer their time.

Additional information can be found at http://allentown-pa.toysfortots.org/local-coordinator-sites/lco-sites/default.aspx.

"Being able to be part of this great cause makes all the hard work so much worth it," Mertz said. "Something that may seem so small is actually such a big opportunity to help families in need in our community. And just as our theme says, every child deserves a little Christmas."