Toy Train makes Sparta stop

BY MEGHAN BYERS
SPARTA – Hundreds of children and adults alike gathered at the fence by the newly rebuilt Sparta Train Station last Sunday afternoon, undeterred by the chill in the air. They were hoping for a glimpse of Santa Claus, who would be arriving not by sleigh, but by train. Run by the Susquehanna Railway, the train arrived bursting with gifts donated by North Jersey residents to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program, a national charity that has provided millions of toys to impoverished children every holiday season since 1947. UPS trucks lined up ready to transport the donated gifts to Picatinny Arsenal, where they would then be sorted and distributed to needy children in the community.
"I remember when we got 650 toys one year," said Randy Emr, president of the Military Transport Association, who has been involved in the Toys for Tots program for six years. "We were so excited, we had a standing ovation. Now we're hoping to get 20,000 this year."
The Military Transport Association and the Volunteer Railroader Association organize Operation Toy Train every year, but this was the first year that Sparta was chosen as one of the stops. The Dermody family put the finishing touches on the Sparta Train Station just this October, completing a years-long project to provide a new, non-profit center for both classes and free community events through the Train Creative organization.
"We're so excited to be adding more things to do for the community," said Katelyn Leondi, the director of Train Creative, which offers opportunities for students and teachers to utilize the "inspiring back drop" of the historic train station. "We hope to do more free events, maybe even one a month."
John Sobotka, Toys for Tots coordinator, approached the Dermody family in October about hosting an event aket the station, which was the last stop for the Toy Train this year.
"This just fell into our laps," said Leondi. "We're so grateful to be able to bring another holiday event to the community."
"It's magic that it came together so well," added William Dermody IV. "Everybody is so excited."
Besides a chance to meet Santa Claus and the Marines, the Sparta Train Station offered hot cocoa, apple cider, baked goods, food trucks, arts and crafts, the opportunity to explore fire engines from the Sparta Fire Department, and even a working model railroad set provided by the Sussex County Railroad Club.
"I'd like to make this a regular event," said Sobotka. "The most important thing is that it's a community event. Everybody gets involved. Everything stays in the community."
By the end of the day, a total of 652 toys and three bicycles were donated in Sparta, bringing the Toy Train's total amount of donations to 11,626.
"It's amazing; this is such a big event," Emr said. "The spirit of giving is alive and well."