Toy donation need is great for 2020 Cape Coral Holiday Boat-A-Long

Cape Coral’s Holiday Boat-A-Long is set to get underway, but it will see changes due to health concerns during the pandemic.

The land portion of the event is canceled, but boats will still parade in the water. Toys for Tots hopes people can still help make children smile through the event this Christmas. Organizers told us the need is great because of the pandemic.

Boats decked with lights have a long tradition of bringing the Christmas spirit to Cape Coral, a tradition that will continue Dec. 19.

“I’m thinking this year it’s going to be a huge turn out because everything else has been canceled,” said Heather O’Brien, the owner of Sea Tow.

Families can still celebrate in small groups on their boats this holiday season.

“You are on your own boat in your own space, so that’s why I think it’s fine to keep going,” O’Brien said.

Giving back to the community is part of the holiday tradition. Sea Tow organizes the Holiday Boat-A-Long every year, and it collects toy donations for Toys for Tots as part of the celebration.

Usually, Sea Tow’s office is already overflowing with toy donations, but this year, more people are struggling because of the pandemic.

“This year, we are not seeing as many donations, and people really need it,” O’Brien said.

Patricia Kucik, the president of Toys for tots of North-Central Lee County, says the need is greater than ever, with more than 20,000 children in need of toys and more requests rolling in by the day.

“This is going to be our biggest year to date, and I really believe it’s a combination of people out of work,” Kucik said. “We have people texting us and emailing us saying, ‘I am embarrassed to do this. You know, I’ve never done this before.’”

Sea Tow is accepting new toy donations for toys for Tots through the event, which begins at Four Freedoms Park in south Cape Coral.

“I can’t say enough how much we need your help, even if you only have $5, even if you only have a dollar,” Kucik said. “No child should wake up Christmas morning without a toy.”