In a world where innovation is essential to an organization's success, there is no better example than the Care 'n Share Project that the Torrey Pines Rotary Club established under the leadership of Rotarian Nancy Stokes.
Care ‘n Share Toy Drive Delivers Another Record-Breaking Year at the Del Mar Fair!
Thanks to the tireless efforts of our incredible volunteers and the inspired leadership of project chair Nancy Stoke, the Care ‘n Share Toy Drive was once again a resounding success! Nancy’s years of dedication and vision have shaped this initiative into one of the region’s most impactful service efforts.
Special thanks to our amazing team of volunteers, each person played a key role in making this project thrive year after year. From shifts at the collection booth to sorting toys and even baking cookies, Rotarians and community members truly went above and beyond to share joy with children in need.
Here is a heart-warming reflection of one encounter at the fair that really speaks to the generosity of spirit displayed throughout the day as shared by Nancy Stokes:
This year’s most heartwarming moment at the O’Brien Gate involved a delightful 4–5-year-old boy. He approached the collection box, barely reaching halfway up to the opening, with 3-4 prizes in his hands. Accompanied by his grandparents, who were also carrying several prizes, he inspected the box's contents and declared, “I want to donate!” With determination, he began tossing in each of his prizes, then turned to his grandmother and started adding hers as well. I (Nancy Stokes) quietly thanked his grandfather for raising such a wonderful child, but he humbly replied that it was all the boy’s doing. It was their third day at the Fair, and each day the boy won prizes, kept one for himself, and donated the rest. Sure enough, once his grandmother’s arms were empty, he turned to his grandfather, pondered for a moment, chose a prize to keep, and then donated the rest. Those of us volunteering were cheering and clapping loudly with each donation. Fair guests stopped to watch and join in the celebration, filling the evening air with joy at the generosity of this young child. It was a beautiful experience for everyone! We all had goosebumps and enjoyed his giving as much as he did, and I’m sure the recipient children will appreciate his generosity just as much.
Here’s what we accomplished in July:
- 54 shifts at the Del Mar Fair collection boxes (6 volunteers per 3-hour shift) = 972 hours
- 8 garage sorting sessions with 8 volunteers each = 64 hours
- 8 batches of cookies (3 hours per batch) = 24 hours
- Total: 1,060 hours donated by 91 volunteers
Toy Distribution Totals (2025): 4,349 toys!
- 300 – Camp Stevens, Julian
- 317 – Chula Vista Eastlake Rotary Club Projects
- 1,631 – Foundation for the Children of the Californias
- 120 – La Jolla Golden Triangle Rotary Club Projects
- 20 – Like Our Own Group Homes
- 1,075 – San Diego Armed Services YMCA
- 836 – STEP – Support the Enlisted Project
- 50 – Voices for Children
Since its inception, this initiative has delivered an astounding 122,000 toys to children across our communities. All donations came from generous fairgoers, who handed over their prizes at the exit booth, creating a ripple of kindness that volunteers helped carry forward—box by box, smile by smile.
To everyone who contributed, you’ve turned Service Above Self into a beautiful reality. You rock!