MTA Hero officers bring joy to children with donated toys
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- There are not one, but three MTA Heroes to celebrate this week.
MTA Police Officers John Matarazzo, Tommy Merkle, and Wilson Soto went above and beyond the call of duty by coordinating the MTA Law Enforcement Explorers' annual toy drive.
The annual toy drive was named in memory of Sergeant Susan and Harry Atkinson.
The drive, established in 1991, helps children in the New York metropolitan area whose families cannot always afford holiday presents.
They spent hours last month delivering bags of donated toys to schools, youth centers and churches.
On January 11, two of the officers picked up even more donated toys for delivery to families affected by that tragic deadly fire in the Tremont section of the Bronx.
Officers Matarazzo, Merkle, and Soto said they could not be more grateful to everyone at New York City Transit, MTA Bus and the other MTA agencies who donated. They were so touched by their colleagues' generosity.
They also are thankful to the students who are part of the MTA Police Explorers Program who helped sort and pack the toys for delivery.
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