by CHERIE WARD
MOSS POINT -- The Children of the Jackson County Head Start Center stood outside grinning and waving to New York City firefighters as they caravaned by with seven truckloads of toys.
The 27 New York City firefighters spent two-days of hard driving to reach Pascagoula and deliver the toys to families still recovering from Hurricane Katrina. This is the second year the 9/11 Families for Katrina Relief Foundation collected toys and brought them to Jackson County.
Most of the men and women who arrived at the Head Start Center are related to New York firefighters who lost loved ones in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center towers.
"We're all little kids at heart," said Tom O'Conner, a retired firefighter of 26 years with the New York City Fire Department. "And when they said to bring down toys for little kids we really wanted to help. Our goal is to send a message that you have not been forgotten. We dealt with 9/11 and it's aftermath and we want to support you the way we were supported."
O'Conner said the foundation was started by Frank Stello, who lost a brother on 9/11.
"He thought it was important to help the children of Katrina and I had more guys volunteer to come down here then I knew what to do with," O'Conner said.
There were four trucks crammed full of toys that will be distributed at a later date to the children of Jackson County and three trucks full of supplies for the Jackson County Civic Action Committee.
"There's cleaning supplies and food," O'Conner said. "Things that are still considered vital."
All the firefighters delivering the toys spent eight months at ground zero, including John McAleese who lost his brother and seven fellow firefighters.
"My brother Brain was a city firefighter also," McAleese said. "He was on the 53rd floor in the south tower when it fell. He was not even supposed to be working that day but they called him in on overtime."
McAleese said New York has something in common with the Coastal cities.
"It's still fresh," McAleese said. "It's something that will always be there and it's the same for you down here. Most of the country has forgotten about 9/11 and we don't want that to happen to you, too. This hurricane was ground zero to you and I think it'll be four to five years before you're completely back on your feet."
Danny Mannic and Martin O'Neal attended the toy driving event last year and said although the Coast is on its way to recovering, it's not there yet.
"Not too much has improved," O'Neal said. "There is still a need."
Kim Prentice, administration assistant for the Ocean Springs Fire Department agrees and started a local Toys for Tots drive at most of Jackson County's fire departments.
For 59 years, the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves have sponsored the Toys for Tots program. Last year, more than 18.5 million toys were collected in the United States.
"All of the toys collected will stay right here in Jackson County," Prentice said. "I think it's important that we help take care of our own."
The deadline for donating the toys is Dec. 15 and Prentice said the need is great, especially for teenage children.
"We've received a lot of requests for children 13 to 14 years old," Prentice said. "We're seeing the need, but not the donations. We really need the public's help."
Prentice said children lacking coats and shoes is an issue as well.
"We'll take anything," Prentice said. "Monetary donations, coats, shoes. We'll get it to a good family in need of help."
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