There is nothing quite as emotionally satisfying during the holiday season as helping those less fortunate than oneself. It is always a rewarding pursuit, and something I was lucky enough to experience yesterday while shadowing Melissa Stagnaro on this, my first piece as a member of The Evening Sun team.

I expected this new career to be both surprising and filled with new opportunities, yet I never realized the extent to which I could be moved by something so simple as volunteering a couple of hours for the local U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots program, which is once again being coordinated by Roots and Wings and the Label Gallery.

Melissa and I trekked the three short blocks to the former Salvation Army building, where this year’s Toys for Tots campaign is headquartered, under an overcast sky and trying to ignore the bitter chill. For the first time this year, I was infused with that wonderful feeling of holiday nostalgia, fueled by the gentle strains of the music and the thought of what was to come. I’ve never had the chance to volunteer more than a few times in this community and thought to myself how wonderful that I could do so while learning about my new responsibilities.

We were enthusiastically greeted by volunteer Kim Wales, and after asking what we could do to help, immediately set to work breaking down a slew of empty boxes, the contents of which filled the majority of the room: toys, toys and more toys. Following a half an hour of box breaking (by the way, never wear black when demolishing cardboard), we got to the fun stuff.

Like most of us, I’ve always taken great pleasure in the giving spirit of the holidays, yet in all that time I never really considered the implications of a family being unable to purchase gifts for their children. As a child, I never lacked for gifts, therefore I had no basis for understanding the plight of those less fortunate. After volunteering with the gracious workers at Toys for Tots, I can honestly say that now I know how Santa must feel.