CHARLOTTE, N.C. — For over 20 years, Charlotte Soccer Academy has helped to make sure thousands of kids in need have a special gift at Christmas by partnering with WCNC Charlotte and the Salvation Army during the annual Magical Toy Drive.
With inflation and the burden of high costs, thousands of families are in desperate need of assistance during the holiday season.
CSA provides player development for about 5,500 boys and girls, ranging in age from 4 to 19 in the Charlotte area. Students who take part in its program compete in both recreational and competitive soccer.
Mark Thornton is the Director of Operations at Charlotte Soccer Academy. He said this is the time of the year kids can directly help other kids. CSA hosts its annual Turkey Bowl every Thanksgiving Day. Families come out and join in on the soccer action. Everyone can play on one of the OrthoCarolina Sportsplex soccer fields and, at the same time, help to make sure every kid gets a present under the tree.
Those who are there for the event are encouraged to donate a new, unwrapped toy. In 2022, Thornton said the organization set a goal to gather 1,000 toys and ended up collecting a record 1,245 toys. When the door to their delivery truck opened at the collection site, it was so overloaded, hundreds of toys started spilling out into the open arms of volunteers.
Thornton said the collection goal this year is 1,300 toys. He wants the community to know everyone is invited to participate on Thanksgiving Day.
“We hope you can come out to make this our biggest turnout yet," Thornton said.
The Turkey Bowl runs from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Anyone with questions can visit the CSA Turkey Bowl website or contact Thorton at MThornton@CharlotteSoccerAcademy.com.
For those who can't attend but still want to help, feel free to drop donations off at the CSA office, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. up until Nov. 22.
Contact Larry Sprinkle at lsprinkle@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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