Campus' spread holiday cheer

Moorpark, Oxnard and Ventura College will be sponsoring Toy Drives through Dec. 14 on their campuses to benefit disadvantaged children.

At MC, Phi Theta Kappa is sponsoring a Toy Drive until Dec. 2 to benefit underprivileged children who live locally.

Martha Zavala is current Public Relations Officer to MC's chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and organizer of the drive.

"I think that the toy drive is a great opportunity for students to give back to their community and be a part of something that's helps those less fortunate," Zavala said.

The honors society makes a point to focus beyond academic achievement by reaching out to the campus and community through research and scholarship.

Oxnard College is sponsoring a month long toy drive that gives gifts to kids of less fortunate students that are here on campus.

PTK said they chose to support Santa to the Sea with their toy drive because it is a unique, new and local charity. 

The toys will be handed out one week before Christmas to underprivileged children in Ventura County.

Ventura College will once again be sponsoring the Mixteco Toy Drive that helps to collect toys for the Mixteco children in Ventura County.

There are 20,000 indigenous Mixtecos from the state of Oaxaca that live and work in Ventura County and that are facing extreme poverty and bleak employment prospects.

Many Mixtecos have come to California in search of agricultural work, and the hardworking young families are linguistically and culturally isolated from the community.

The M.E.Ch.A organization is the group behind the event; they are an organization that seeks to promote Chicano unity and empowerment through political action.

The M.E.Ch.A organization  say's that you should donate because donations are tax deductible, and their goal is to collect 1500 toys for the Mixteco children in Ventura County.

"As college students we tend to become consumed with our schoolwork and school related goals." said Zavala. "This is an opportunity for us to remember how lucky we are and help kids who will one day be in our shoes."

On MC campus all toys can be dropped off at Associated Students Center, room #158 before Dec. 2. Contact The ASG at Oxnard College for further information about the drop off location and deadline. On VC campus the drop off locations are MCW 216, UV-2, MAC 201, 202 and the deadline is Dec. 14.