Curt Aaron pass more boxes to the truck Monday for Operation Baby Valentine.
The idea was to give the clothes, toys and furniture in time for Valentine s Day.
What started as a local project of the Kiwanis Noon Club of Highland snowballed as word spread, even gaining publicity through the Dr. Laura Show on KFI and Channel 4 News reporter Mary Parks.
The goal was to raise 5,000 for the effort, and Sgt.
Jesse Wilson of the Family Wellness Center at Ft. Irwin agreed to come get the donations.
There were several local pickup points and the donations were stored at California Design Works in a former orange packinghouse on main Street.
As the campaign wound to a close by Feb. 10, the gifts passed the 5,000 mark, and then came the big donation: 6,300 worth of clothes and toys donated by Warner Bros. That pushed the total close to 12,000, including gifts of 500 from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians and another 1,000 from individual tribal members.
Individual Kiwanis Club members kicked in cash of 200 to 800, including major donations from Sue and Debi, in addition to doing the shopping and promoting for the project.
Judy Montez of Highland made 35 fleece pullover jackets with hoods, mostly for babies and toddlers.
When Sgt.
Wilson brought a 2 1/2-ton truck to pick up the donations, it couldn t hold all the boxes and furniture, so club members said they would haul the rest to Ft. Irwin on their own.
As Debi and Sue shopped at Marshals, Jennifer Hargrove of Hesperia heard them talking about the project and got her Bible study group involved, donating a station wagon full of items to the cause.
The Radiant Rubies Red Hat Society, which prides itself on having fun without a cause, chipped in 15 Teddy bears.
Sue closed the loading session Monday by giving Wilson a box of hand made Valentines from the Sunbeams Girl Scout Troop of San Bernardino.
Wilson said the gifts will make Valentine s Day a little happier for the hundreds of children at Ft.
Irwin.
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