As we turn the page into the fall season, words like ‘foliage’, ‘football’, and ‘food’ come to mind. As the autumn season, especially as it closes in on winter, also becomes a time of reflection. The upcoming months will be filled with charitable events as well as appeals to help those who are in need. That becomes even more pronounced during the holiday season, when those who are less fortunate become more in focus.
One such event is happening in Pawtucket RI in November—and there is a twist to the normal gift-giving season.
The fourth-annual Businesses Give Back for Tots for Tots takes place on Monday, November 11, 2024 at The Guild Brewery on Main Street, beginning at 6:00 PM.
Admission for this event is a new, unwrapped toy. Financial donations are also welcome. Monies raised will be used to purchase more toys.
According to Event Organizer Bob Salvas, last year brought in over 700 gifts. He is hoping to hit 1,000 toy gifts this year. It is no coincidence that this year’s event is on Veterans Day as Bob and several past sponsors of this event are veterans.
Besides collecting toys, the night will feature live music by The StrumDawgs and a free BBQ buffet provided by Bugg’d Out BBQ.
Salvas said the event has easily become one of the most popular Toys for Tots events in the region.
“I am eternally grateful for the outpouring of support for this event,” said Salvas. “Area businesses are stepping up once again to help those in our communities who are struggling. The holidays should be one of happiness and cheer. However, that isn’t always the case. We are out there to put more smiles on people’s faces as the holidays draw closer.”
How did this event begin?
In February 2009, local networker Dan Edmonds was running a monthly networking event in nearby Massachusetts (4th Monday Networking). Each November, he would invite the networkers to bring a new, unwrapped gift in lieu of charging a small fee to attend his networking event. The toys collected would be donated to Toys for Tots. That event took off: The U.S. Marines gratefully gathered up all the donations, and an annual tradition began.
Dan continued with hosting his monthly networking events punctuated by his annual Toys for Tots drive until he stepped down in November 2015.
He handed the reigns over to Salvas, who continued 4th Monday Networking. Dan promoted it online and attended whenever he visited the area. Bob agreed and Dan had only one stipulation: Bob had to run an annual Toys For Tots event. It was an easy “yes” for Bob, who was already a big supporter of children’s causes.
The 4th Monday Networking and Toys for Tots events continued with Bob at the helm for the next several years. The pandemic in 2020 canceled almost all in-person events. Compounding the bad news was Edmonds passing away on July 24, 2020.
“In addition to the sadness of losing a good friend that year, I could not even run the Toys for Tots event that Dan cared so much about,” said Bob.
“So, when 2021 rolled around and things were starting to reopen, I made the decision that I needed to do a bigger Toys for Tots event both to honor Dan and to make up for not having one in 2020.”
Bob lined up friends and sponsors to help. He got a venue to donate their space and he brought in live music and food. Bob knew that to ramp up the toy donations, he needed to make it more of a social event than a networking event.
His plan worked. Over 100 people showed up on Wednesday November 10, 2021, and donated over 200 toys. Even Salvas could not have foreseen what would happen next.
“I originally thought this would be a one-time event, and it would go back to being part of my regular networking events. However, my friends encouraged me to do this again. Everyone who came had a great time and the worthy cause just added to the event.”
Bob held another event in 2022 with almost 350 toys donated. And again in 2023 when the event pulled in over 700 toys! Bob never imagined it would grow so much but this year the bar is set even higher as he is hoping for 250 people attending and 1,000 toys donated!
Of course, the continued growth of the event meant finding an even bigger venue and The Guild in Pawtucket fit the bill. A bigger and better event often means more expenses. If you are interested in sponsoring the 2024 event, please contact Bob at bob@bobsalvas.com.
For more information or to register to attend the event, go to https://businessesgiveback.com/
