ORANGEVALE, CA - The grinch may have tried to steal Christmas for dozens of families in Orangevale, but just two days later, a community's holiday spirit has replaced them all.
On Monday night, someone stole hundreds of presents that had been donated to the Orangevale Chamber of Commerce for the Toys for Tots program.
Word got around quickly, and dozens of local residents chipped in to replace the missing gifts.
"I just got off work and she told me what happened and she had toys ready to go and it was her idea and we're here to help out," said Orangevale resident David Avila, whose girlfriend Sabrina McClure brought two new toys to the Chamber of Commerce office on Greenback Lane.
Orangevale resident Jeanne Larsson rounded up money from several Sacramento medicinal marijuana clinics, including her own, because she said she's seen hard times before, too. "My kids had a Christmas because of my community," she said.
"A truckload of toys, baby!" Larsson exclaimed, as she surveyed the gifts she and friends bought with the $2,200 dollars she raised.
Dozens of local residents contributed gifts.
Orangevale Honorary Mayor Lisa Montes stood with tears running down her cheeks as she watched the toys arriving at the chamber office. "Yesterday, someone said to me, Lisa don't worry. It's going to come back double."
"I'm speechless and you know, people will tell you I'm never at a loss for words," laughed Montes, as she hugged residents who were dropping off the toys.
The gifts are being contributed to the Toys for Tots program run by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and will eventually be given to the children of Marines serving in Afghanistan.
"You don't even know the families that you're going to bless because you'll never meet them," Montes told the gift-givers, but they will grow up some day. Those kids will remember this, and they will pass that on."
By Dave Marquis, dmarquis@news10.net
News10/KXTV