The tree is up in the window of our storefront studio at 216 North Guadalupe, and our mission to serve the community with KZSM 104.1/KZSM.org expands into holiday celebration with our sixth annual toy drive. Bring new, unwrapped toys to the studio during business hours, and we’ll put them under the tree for the families served by the Southside Community Center. On the afternoon of Friday, Dec. 13, we’ll take the toys to the Center for their Community Christmas Celebration Dec. 15.
When you drop off your toys, leave your business card in our fishbowl for a chance to win a 30-second radio spot to greet your family and friends for the holidays. If your business can donate a large number of toys, we’ll create and broadcast a 30-second announcement about your services.
This year, the San Marcos Unitarian Universalist Fellowship is partnering with KZSM by collecting toys for the drive at their Sunday services. SMUUF has been active in San Marcos since 1987 and has served the community over the years with their donatethe- plate program supporting local non-profits. In addition, their sewing guild has created hundreds of quilts to comfort kids displaced through immigration or by Child Protective Services.
Veteran KZSM DJ Metal Mark Moniz started the first toy drive five years ago as a spinoff to his Metalfest Fundraiser for the station. A couple of participating bands were collecting toys and handed the project over to Mark when they saw his heavy metal Santa suit. He’s continued the drive over the years. During COVID, a very slow and cold Metalfest and toy drive changed the scope of the project. As Mark recalled, “there was a family at the shelter — a woman and a boy and a girl that had nothing. I barely got any donations, but to see the woman’s face when I handed them a little bit of toys for her two kids melted my heart, and so we decided last year to put a tree in the window and fill it with presents.”
Come by the studio, help us fill the tree with presents and savor the spirit of the season with your True Community Radio Station. And tune in to 104.1 FM or scroll to KZSM.org throughout the holiday season for a range of seasonal programming, from a live reading of “A Christmas Carol” to music composed just for this holiday.
