givinggiving
Toy Soldiers F
Operation Toy Drop collects thousands of toys for needy kids BY KIRSTEN HARR
will exit the aircraſt.
ort Bragg is gearing up for its 15th year of Operation Toy Drop, which may sound like there will be toys dropping from the sky, but actually only qualified paratroopers
The Randy Oler Memorial Operation Toy Drop is a week-long toy drive in which thou- sands of paratroopers and other members of the military community bring new, un- wrapped toys to benefit needy children on Fort Bragg and in the surrounding commu- nities. From bicycles to dolls, Operation Toy Drop has collected and donated more than 66,000 toys over the years.
Operation Toy Drop, named in memory of the late Sgt. 1st Class Randall R. Oler, was first con- ducted in 1998 when Oler organized a small airborne operation involving a few paratroopers on a Marine Corps aircraſt. While the first Toy Drop had few participants and
collected a small number of toys, the operation continued to grow over the years. Eventually, the unique, holiday- focused operation began to combine the efforts of Army, Air Force and civilian service organiza- tions and established a tradition on Fort Bragg. The Fort Bragg community named Oper- ation Toy Drop in Oler's honor on Decem- ber 13, 2003. The event became a memorial the following year when, on April 20, Oler suffered a fatal heart attack at the age of 43 while performing jumpmaster duties. The operation has expanded over the years to include aircraſt support from Pope's 43rd Airliſt Wing, Soldiers from Fort Bragg's XVIII Airborne Corps, 82nd Air- borne Division and Special Operations Com- mand. Today, participating paratroopers have the chance to make a parachute jump with jumpers from around the world, one of Oler's original dreams for the
CityViewNC.com | 37
