For the 13th- consecutive year, the Maryland Transportation Authority Police and maintenance employees at the Baltimore-area toll facilities and at the Port of Baltimore will collect new, unwrapped toys for underprivileged area children in connection with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s national Toys for Tots campaign.
On December 11, 12 and 13, from 6 a.m. until 9 a.m. and from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m., employees will collect toys from customers at the Francis Scott Key Bridge (I-695) and at the Baltimore Harbor (I-895) and Fort McHenry (I-95) Tunnels. In addition, police will collect toys on these dates at the Port of Baltimore’s Dundalk Marine Terminal Main Gate from 6 a.m. until 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Toys may be dropped off at designated sites and during scheduled times only. Toll collectors will not accept toys or packages in the toll lanes.
Transportation Authority police remind motorists that a safe holiday is a happy holiday, and ask that all Toys for Tots donors keep safety in mind as they approach the toy drop-off sites. Customers must use the far-right toll lane and follow directions from Santa and uniformed Transportation Authority Police officers. Note: This includes E-ZPass customers who wish to drop off toys.
“We are pleased to participate in this worthwhile event,” said Colonel Larry E. Harmel, chief of the Maryland Transportation Authority Police. “Since joining the collection efforts in 1990, Maryland Transportation Authority Police have collected more than 80,000 toys from motorists.”
In 2001, the Transportation Authority Police collected 6,515 toys from motorists at the Port of Baltimore site and from motorists using the Authority’s toll facilities at the three Harbor crossings; the William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial (Bay) Bridge (US 50/301); the Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge in Charles County; and the Thomas J. Hatem Memorial Bridge (US 40) in Cecil County.
Toys collected at the Harbor Crossings and marine terminal will be given to the U.S. Marine Corps base in northeast Baltimore for distribution to disadvantaged children in the area.
The Maryland Transportation Authority Police, a nationally accredited force, is the seventh-largest law-enforcement agency in the State, with more than 500 civilian and sworn law-enforcement professionals. Officers provide security and law-enforcement services at the State’s toll facilities, the Baltimore/Washington International Airport and the Port of Baltimore.
Posted: 12-11-2002
