Florida Town Gathers Toys for Burned-Out Laguna Beach Tots

A U.S. Air Force transport aircraft delivered about 2,000 pounds of toys from Florida on Wednesday for children who lost their favorite playthings in the city’s recent fires.

The toys were collected in Gulf Breeze, Fla., by the local police department and by Mike Low, a Pensacola businessman, after they saw news accounts of children who lost toys in the fires, Air Force officials said.

The cargo, which includes stuffed animals, puzzles, miniature cars and books, landed at the North Island Naval Air Station near San Diego, said Capt. Joe LaMarca, chief public relations officer for Hurlburt Field, the military base near Pensacola, Fla. where the flight began.

Laguna Beach police will arrange for trucks to pick up the toys and bring them to the city, said Capt. William Cavanaugh.

“I think they got more toys than they ever anticipated,” LaMarca said.

Later this week another shipment of toys is expected to arrive in Laguna Beach, officials said. A Pensacola shipping company, Alterman Transport Co., offered to take another 2,000 pounds of toys from the Gulf Breeze toy drive to Laguna Beach, Air Force officials said.

Air Force officials said their shipment of toys did not cost taxpayers. The transport plane used was already scheduled to fly to North Island Naval Air Station as part of a training mission, LaMarca said.

“This was a great mission and we were glad to do it,” LaMarca said.