Business & Tech

Local Restaurant Makes Holidays Brighter for Area Children

Friends Sports Bar and Grill collects toys and money for Toys for Tots.

in Dacula has partnered with the U.S. Marine Corps to collect toys and monetary donations for the Toys for Tots program during this holiday season.

Until Dec. 21, Friends will collect new, unwrapped toys to be distributed to disadvantaged Gwinnett County children. In exchange for each toy donated, Friends will provide a coupon for one free kid's meal.

Friends co-owner and Dacula resident Suzanne Cartwright said she enjoys working with the Toys for Tots organization.

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"This is one of the charities that I feel is one of the most well-run, organized charities," she said. "You know exactly where everything goes."

Cartwright said Toys for Tots volunteers have been extremely helpful in promoting and organizing the toy drive and fundraiser.

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"They're just above-board," she said.

Cartwright and Friends co-owner Ray Stanjevich hope to collect 500 toys and raise $1,000 for Toys for Tots over the holiday season.

"I think at Christmas time, it's such a good thing, and most people can afford an unwrapped toy. It's a great lesson for the kids to be able to bring it in and put it under the tree and feel like they gave something," Cartwright said.

On Dec. 7, Friends hosted a Christmas party fundraiser for Toys for Tots. The event featured a live band, raffles, a visit from Santa Claus and a visit from Marine Corps representatives.

Local residents worked as guest bartenders during the event.  All tips were donated to Toys for Tots.

Friends also sold event T-shirts and donated 100 percent of the proceeds. The event raised $665 and collected 250 toys, according to an update posted on a daculaga.gov forum.

Cartwright hopes the fundraising effort will help promote a community environment.

"If everybody would think community and support their local community, the communities would be so much better," she said. "A tighter community is like a family. You can support each other."

Friends Sports Bar and Grill is located at 752 Dacula Road. Toy donations will be accepted during regular business hours of 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, call 678-407-2700.


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