Free toys, face painting, bounce houses, art, games, music, and food; it’s every kid and parents’ dream.The Toy Industry Foundation, a nonprofit that focuses on bringing normalcy to distressed childrens’ lives through toys and play, teamed up with Big Brothers Big Sisters and Sams club to bring toys to 1,800 kids from Schriever and Peterson air force base on Wednesday night. Colorado is the first of 7 military bases around the globe that the foundation will be delivering toys for military children this year.“We care deeply about military families. We hope days like these are very meaningful. Military families move around a lot and we hope that this will be a fond memory for them,” said Jean Butler, Executive Director of the Toy Industry Foundation. There were 6 pallets of toys along with toy filled tables down the length of the room. The foundation was expecting about 1,800 children and each one, infant through teenager, received two toys of their choice. Toys ranged from hula hoops and board games to trucks and dinosaurs to dolls and tummy time play sets for infants. Some of the toys were valued at $80 or more.Click here for photos from the eventThe foundation’s drives are different from most other toy drives, like Toys for Tots, where people buy the toys and drop them off for donation. “All of these toys were donated by toy manufacturers and distributors who really care about these kids,” said Butler.Despite having to move the event indoors because of the rain, everyone was all smiles. The DJ played popular songs like LMFAO’s “Sexy and I know it” and Katie Perry’s “Firework”. There were children dancing everywhere.“The 2- and 4- year- olds love the bouncy house. They kept wanting to go back. And then there’s the toys. Oh, the toys,” said Shannon Holdren, mother of 4. “The lines couldn’t move fast enough. The 4 year old’s like, ‘mom, Josie’s line is moving faster than mine!” she added with a chuckle.“This is awesome,” said Holdren. “There’s very little done for the kids and the families. It’s nice they could come here and let loose a little bit.”This is the 2nd year that Sandy Dollard, mother of 4, participated in the  carnival and toy giveaway at Peterson.  “It’s so awesome. I feel like they (military children) don’t get recognized. The spouses don’t get recognized. It’s nice to feel appreciated.”The mothers were thrilled with the toys that their kids picked out. Holdren’s kids got Minnie  Mouse and Thomas the Train, while Dollard’s kids chose Barbies and Tech Dechs.Peterson held the carnival as part of April “Month of the Military Child” celebration, which has been celebrated since 1986.“These kids have strength, character, and perseverance. What I’m really talking about is all the strength they show while mom or dad is away,” said Col. Jeffert Flewelling, Vice Commander of the 21st Space Wing and Peterson AFB. “This event is truly about the children.”

Bill Nye the Science Guy works on a laptop in the media room at the 28th National Space Symposium at the Broadmoor Hotel on Thursday, April 19, 2012. Photo by JERILEE BENNETT, THE GAZETTE

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