HAMDEN, Conn. (WTNH) — WTNH News 8 continued its tradition of partnering up with the U.S. Marines for the annual Gr8 Holiday Give Saturday.

Car after car and truck after truck, generous News 8 viewers came by with tons of toys to make the holidays brighter for a child in need.

The Gr8 Holiday Give touchless toy collection drive featured some familiar News 8 faces and the U.S. Marines collecting new, unwrapped toys for kids in Connecticut, filling up nearly two trucks. They started with a Marine truck, and then they had to bring in a Uhaul.

Stacey Brennan from St. Katherine Sienna School said, “We have a very, very generous community, and we love to help and do whatever we can, and what’s better than donating to families?”

Many viewers came from across our state in their cars, and one generous viewer even took a bus and walked to make sure he could hand in his holiday toy donation.

John Poindexter said, “This year I felt sorry for a lot of people who aren’t going to have a Christmas this year, so I bought some extra toys and brought them down here. I feel so much better doing that.”

Others came with generous monetary donations. The Club Corvette of Connecticut donated a check made out to the toy drive for $750.

“With this year, I’m glad something positive is actually happening. It’s a good feeling,” said Ernie Betulia of Club Corvette CT.

In total, we ended up collecting 7,136 toys and over $1,600 during the 2020 Gr8 Holiday Give.

All of the donations will go to Toys for Tots, and because of the kindness of strangers, a child is set to smile a bit brighter on Christmas morning.