The Center's Blog

Seasonal Spotlight: Annual Toy Drive

By: LCF Staff

March 25, 2025, 10:00 am - Categories: News

Grateful for a Season of Giving 

The festive period between Thanksgiving and Christmas is a special time at Loyola Center for Fitness. It’s a time when our members and staff showcase their generosity and compassion.

Annual Toy Drive and Class Demo Day 2024

This winter, we hosted our Annual Toy Drive, inviting members to bring unwrapped toys to benefit local charities and The Ronald McDonald® House near Loyola University Medical Center. The event was made even more magical and memorable with a special appearance by Santa and his elf.

A Heartwarming Response

Throughout the month, we collected over 425 toys, spreading holiday cheer to numerous children and families in our community.

Introducing ‘Pickled for the Holidays’ Pickleball Tournament

During this time, we also hosted a Class Demo Day where members could bring a guest for free to our group exercise classes. New this year was ‘Pickled for the Holidays’, where members could bring a guest for our doubles pickleball tournament!

Longtime member and Demo Day participant Cynthia Bell says, “I always enjoy the day of the toy drive and class demos. I add it to my calendar every year. Not only is it a day to sample some terrific classes, but it is also an opportunity to give back. Imagining the smiles of joy and happiness on the faces of the children ensures that I attend every year with toys in hand.”

A Reward for Giving

As a token of appreciation, everyone who brought a toy to donate was entered into a drawing to win gift cards and memberships. Our festive events took place on December 14, 2024, creating a magical day at the center filled with love, giving, and movement.

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