AKRON, Ohio — It’s the season of giving and families in northeast Ohio are helping make the holidays a little happier for kids in need.

The Wingfoot Lake Goodyear Blimp hangar is serving as a collection site this weekend for the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots.

A parade of cars drove past the big blimp Saturday afternoon. Each was packed with donated unwrapped toys. 

Marines unloaded each vehicle, then volunteers like Tiffany McClaskey sorted the gifts. 

“I think it’s awesome, it’s incredible,” she said about the steady stream of donors. “It makes you tear up when you really think about it.”

This is the 11th year toys have been collected at the hangar. The goal this year is to collect 23,000 toys. In 2020, 3,144 vehicles dropped off 21,298 toys during the event. 

“There are so many people who need,” said Santa Claus, who was standing by to thank people for their donations. “These people have actually been wonderful. Some of these people must have thousands of dollars worth of stuff that they’re dropping off. I mean, it is just amazing the time that it takes these Marines to unload some of these cars.”

They will be back on-site collecting donations from 2 p.m. - 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5.