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PROVO — Trina's Kids Foundation made kids in Utah County a little happier this time of year, after breaking a Guinness World Record for the largest number of toys collected in an hour last year.
The Los Angeles-based charity serves underprivileged and at-risk youth by partnering with a network of local businesses and organizations to serve kids and provide services in Los Angeles and elsewhere. Founded by entrepreneur Vince Ricci and named for his mother, the foundation has Utah ties, via co-founder Dan Fleyshman.
Last year the foundation collected 8,000 toys in just one hour, at Los Angeles's Hubble Studio. This year's Christmas toy drive happens across 10 U.S. cities, to celebrate the foundation's 10th anniversary. The result was semitruck loads of toys gathered and distributed to kids in 10 different cities, including Provo.
The Utah portion of the toy drive happened Saturday, with toys consolidated at Aptive Environmental, in Provo. Not only were kids waiting to meet Santa and choose their own toys, but multiple charities took part in distributing the toys throughout the state just in time for Christmas.
"There are 26 charities represented here today, everything from (former Utah Jazz player) Rudy Gobert and his kids' foundation, to other local charities and homeless shelters, children's hospitals and more," said Fleyshman, adding that additional charities were present to take gifts back to their own patrons.
He said Utah businesses and charities can contribute to other events and drives throughout the year, including for Thanksgiving and the school year.
The semitruck used in Provo and in other cities was supplemented by a U.S. Army decommissioned and restored Blackhawk helicopter. The helicopter is owned by Dave Sparks, of Sparks Motors and Discovery Channel's Diesel Brothers television show fame.
In addition to pallets of toys already delivered at Aptive Environmental, the helicopter made stops in Logan and Murray on the way to Provo Saturday, to gather toys collected by businesses and charities throughout Utah. Santa, played by Diesel Brothers own "Diesel Dave" Kiley, was along for the ride and greeted kids upon landing.
The Utah Jazz Bear also accompanied Santa.
"We've typically done our own toy drive each year at our shop — as many as 20,000 toys," Sparks said. "But we've done other things with Dan and it just made sense this year to help out with this special 10-city toy drive effort."
Sparks anticipates participating with Trina's Kids Foundation each year going forward, and said the helicopter adds a level of "cool" to the holiday cheer the toy drive already brings to Utah kids in need.
