NEW YORK CITY: Marine Corps Wrestles Name Back From Gay Holiday Toy Drive

For 25 years one of the glitziest events on NYC’s homo holiday calendar has been the Toys For Tots party at Chelsea Piers, where the gay glitterati gather to booze, schmooze, and deliver mountains of new toys for the city’s needy kids. As a Marine brat who went to USMC Toys For Tots events back in the 60’s, I’ve always thought it was neat that the Marines let the gays use their famous (and trademarked) 63 year-old name for the event. Well, that’s over.

A glitzy “Toys for Tots” charity party underwent a name change Tuesday after a stern reprimand from the Marines. The annual bash at Chelsea Piers is organized by gay men, not the U.S. Marine Corps, which uses the name for its own well-known toy drive. The Marines, which will field 1 million requests for toys in the city this year, doesn’t get donations from the party, which draws A-listers like Mayor Bloomberg. “I want people to understand that when they donate to Toys for Tots that they are donating to the United States Marine Corps Toys for Tots program and the reputation it carries with that name,” said Staff Sgt. Ivan Lebron, coordinator of the Toys for Tots NYC campaign.

The creator of the Chelsea Piers event says that he just “pulled the name out of a hat” back in 1985. Right. The new name for the gay event, which will take place as planned on December 3rd, is “Holiday Gifts for Children and Seniors.” Oy.