Matthew Barron and Robert Beith would be pleased, and maybe a little surprised.

What the two friends started in 1949 and called the Bruce Roberts Santa Fund continues to bring joy to thousands of children each holiday season. A surge of requests for help this year led to some extra last-minute scrambling, but their simple idea — ask newspaper readers to donate money to buy gifts for children in need — has yet to fail.

Of course, it took more than a good idea to buy and distribute new toys and books to 4,000 Maine children over the past several weeks.  It required a small team of organizers, hundreds of donors, dozens of volunteers and a few pizzas to pull it off.

Organizers behind what is now the Press Herald Toy Fund include a 10-member committee of longtime volunteers and Press Herald employees who meet year-round to make sure the 75-year-old tradition continues.

Donors this year include both new supporters and familiar friends of the Toy Fund, such as the Southern Maine Harley Owners Group, the Women’s Riverside Golf Association and all 12 children of Harry and Lois Carlin, better known as the 12 Cs.

Stephen Askin, a retired veterinarian in Kennebunk, once again provided a big boost to the fundraising campaign by sending a check for $10,000 in memory of his parents and brother, Keith. And Douglas Timm of Scarborough drove to the Toy Fund workshop Monday with a check for $1,000 after reading that organizers had to go over budget this year to make sure all the children in need would receive gifts.

The annual toy drive has literally never happened without the support of the Drummond family. The five children of Josiah H. Drummond and Anne (Strahan) Drummond continued the tradition begun by their parents in 1949 and kept the string unbroken this year, once again donating as JOCIJIANNA.

A good idea, some organization and a pile of donated money still doesn’t get the job done without a faithful army of volunteers to do the actual work, some of whom have been returning to the workshop each winter for decades.

The volunteers this year were: Carl Akin, Dianne Goodrich, Mary Cavallaro, Roxie Johnston, Brent Johnston, John Voyer, Joan Voyer, Deb Abbondanza, Mary Peters, Barbi Diaz, Linda Paul, Kathy Camire, Sheila Moran, Gail Kinney, Craig Kinney, Julie Pew, Theresa Labrecque, Gretchen Stanton, Janet Edmunson, Joe Carlin, Priscilla O’Neil, Patrice O’Neil, Donald Bancroft, Janice Bancroft, Susan Taylor, Marjorie Oxman, Jon Oxman, Susan Howard, Lynn Petcher and Janet Leaver.

And, finally there is a group of local businesses that never fails to donate pizza and other goodies to the Toy Fund workshop to show their appreciation for all that hard work. Anthony’s Italian Kitchen in Portland, Derosier’s in Freeport and Amato’s franchises continued to support the effort as they have for many years.

When Barron and Beith first came up with the idea for the Toy Fund, it was a slightly smaller operation. They raised nearly $4,000 and served 1,500 children that first year. It gradually expanded and became a indispensable annual charity for many families.

And, as the founders hoped when they first hatched the idea, readers and community members have never failed to support children at the holidays.

Donations are accepted throughout the year and money continues to flow into the Toy Fund as the amount raises inches toward $200,000. The Press Herald will continue to periodically publish the donations in the coming weeks.

HOW TO HELP

To make a donation online, go to pressherald.com/toy-fund.

Checks made out to the Portland Press Herald Toy Fund may be mailed to 295 Gannett Drive, South Portland ME 04106.

Names of donors are published in the Press Herald unless a donor wishes to remain anonymous.

TODAY’S DONATIONS:

$60 – From Chud, who loved children   Donald Grosset
$100 – Happy Holidays!  John and Marybeth Richardson
$100 – In the memory of Harold V and Margaret E Ware   Anonymous
$100 – Anonymous
$200 – In memory of Robert Sibley   Glenice R Sibley
$50 – In loving memory of Grampa Hawkes   Paul J & Judith M Theriault
$100 – Anonymous
$100 – In memory of John G. Hoyt   Robin O Hoyt
$100 – Christmas Joy    Jillian R H & Rodger K Herrigel
$100 – Huqiu Zhang
$100 – For our mother Peggy and father John who loved Christmas.   Marijane, Penny & Jonie
$100 – In honor of Tyler, Zachary, Griffin & Curtis   Pauline A & Donald W Hontz
$50 – Mom & Dad   PB Renshaw
$50 – Julia Pew
$100 – In loving memory of Roman Maxsimic.  Kathy, Tessa and Kara
$100 – In loving memory of Nana and Grampy   Julie B Carmichael
$100 – In loving memory of Betsy   Julie B Carmichael
$1,000 – Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year!  Andrea, Tori and Doug Timm
$50 – Dorothy A Bruce
$111 – In loving memory of Sam Tucker from El Presidente the lobster    Jennifer A & Randy O Wood
$75 – From Pearl & Mojee   Susan A Bloomfield
$225 – Chebeague Island Fire Rescue Association
$50 – Mal & Mary   Ann McDonald
$25 – in memory of Tommie C and Mom & Dad C, and Mom & Dad O.  The family
$50 – In memory of my mother Mary and my brother Rob  Anonymous
$250 – Lorraine F. Pregenzer
$50 In memory of Dr. Roderick and Doris Macdonald.   Tom & Connie Smith
$30 In memory of Joann & Guy Rowe. We miss you every day. Merry Christmas! Love, Lisa, Lindy, Joe, Miranda & Canley
$25 James J & Cathy L Kross
$50 Etta V Pols
$275 Chebeague Island Fire Rescue Association
$100 In memory of Regis, Bob and Tony. From Ruthie and Terry
$100 Anonymous
$100 In memory of Faye & Mark Ware  Anonymous
$350 In memory of Dorothy Legassie and Linda Miller and Robert Miller from the family
$100 Anonymous
$100 In memory of “Diney”, The Girls   Eileen W Adams
$2,000 Maureen M Gorman
$5,000 In memory of Eleanor & Leo   Joy Kathy & Jay Lowery
$250 Christiaan J Beeuwkes
$200 Cath O’Connor
$500 From JOCIJIANNA  – our 75th year donating to the Toy Fund! Nancy Tinsdal on behalf of the Drummond Family

TOTAL TO DATE: 169,383.21