Michelle Obama, U.S. Marines team on Toys for Tots

Her husband might be commander in chief, but First Lady Michelle Obama assumed the role of Santa in chief Wednesday, showing up with toys donated by White House staff to give to the U.S. Marines Corps Reserve's Toys for Tots campaign.

Obama delivered the goods -- about a third of the 500 toys that had been donated so far -- to a warehouse near the Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Va. The campaign's goal: 150,000 toys for needy kids.

The first lady praised the Marines, ABC reports: "We are so proud and so grateful for what you are doing for this country, what you've done for this effort, and we will be a part of this as long as I'm in the White House."

She also noticed that the bins for children 11 to 14 seemed emptier than the rest, and said she'd be going toy shopping for the "older kids" over the weekend.

Obama told Oprah Winfrey on her Christmas special over the weekend that the first family will be spending the holidays, as they traditionally do, in Hawaii.

-- Christie D'Zurilla

Photo: Michelle Obama speaks to volunteers Wednesday as she delivers toy donations collected by White House Executive Office staff to the Marine Toys for Tots warehouse in Stafford, Va. Credit: Alex Wong / Getty Images.

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Comments

[Joyce Sixkiller]

Dear Opra,
I am writting in reguards to Christmas and don't know if I'm in the right place. But here I go. Me and my husband are both terminal and for sure this will probably be our last Cristmas. We get about 1,150 per month from his Disability SS and my SSI. We are raising 2 of our grandkids and that doesn't leave much for gifts. We do receive food stamps and 88.00 from he state. Also I received a Gift Card from a wonderful prayer partner but most of it went for Ensure (food product) and other needed items. I can't eat solid food because every time I do It stops up my colostomy.I wish you could help us out. If you could seng a few gifts for my 2 boys it would be wonderful. They are 11 and 16. Do you do this type of thing? My 16 year old grandson ran off but I check on him everyday and try to make sure he goes to school. He stays with my 71 year old brother in law. I guess he couldn't watch us die. I don't blame him, I wouldn't want to either. We took him off our food stamps because I didn't want to be charged with Welfare Fraud. Of course that lowered our amount we get, but it had to be done. I would never want to be on TV or anything like that and am very embaressed to be asking but if you don't do these type of things don't feel bad because GOD has always provided everything I've ever asked him for and I'm not worried about this. He loves us all and I have a very close relationship with JESUS. He has performed so many mircles for us that you wouldn't really believe it or let me say it would be hard to believe. I'm rambling on, sorry. If you could just let me know you got this email I would appreciate it I take so many medicines I forget how to do things sometimes. Anyway thats my story and request.

May GOD bless you for providing for children and others I'll bet.

Sincerely
Joyce Sixkiller