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Toy distribution served up alongside breakfast
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Attendees enjoyed a hearty breakfast at the Riverbank Community Center earlier this month, as part of the annual holiday toy giveaway in the city. Photo Contributed
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Along with breakfast and the chance to greet Santa and the Grinch, the recent toy distribution for youngsters in Riverbank included the giveaway of more than 20 bicycles. Photo Contributed

It was a festive atmosphere at the Riverbank Community Center on a recent Saturday, with a special breakfast and a toy giveaway. The City of Riverbank, Save Mart, Cost Less, and Community Praise Tabernacle, in collaboration with Central Valley Community Resources, CVCR, hosted the event.

Volunteers helping to staff the festivities were from Refugio de Bienstar, Boy Scout Troop 1100, and Riverbank Unified School District students.

“A special thank you to the Riverbank Community that hosted a Toys for Tots donation box,” said Darlene Barber-Martinez of CVCR.

Many locations had the donation boxes out for a few weeks, seeking the new, unwrapped toys. Barber-Martinez noted that “All donated toys were given to more than 500 children in Riverbank” ranging in ages from birth up to 13-year-olds.

During the morning there was also a giveaway of 22 bicycles for some lucky youngsters, while free pictures were offered for the kids, with both Santa and the Grinch attending the breakfast.