Ready to Take Off With Stuff a Plane! Charity Toy Drive?

By Brian Spears
Redlands News Collective

The Redlands Airport Association (RAA) hosted its annual “Stuff a Plane! Charity Toy Drive” benefiting The Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps with the help of Civil Air Patrol’s Redlands Cadet Squadron 411

Ted Gablin, president of the Redlands Airport Association, has coordinated the toy drive each year. This is the program’s 10th year, and the fifth partnering with the Salvation Army San Bernardino Corps, working with businesses across the city to collect donated gifts throughout November and December. Gablin said this year’s drive was “the airport’s most successful to date.” Best Choice Products, which manufactures magnetic racetracks, donated many boxes of toys for the event, doing their part to ensure no child would be without.

The toys collected will go to local kids, and according to Major Christiane Morales, “Each child will hopefully get three toys. They expect over 800 families to benefit this year.”

Along with the toy drive, the Redlands EAA Chapter 845 hosted a Young Eagle event, where kids aged 8-17 could take a flight at no cost and learn about aviation. The San Bernardino Valley College Aviation program set up flight simulators for kids to feel what it is like to fly.

A member of the Civil Air Patrol’s Redlands Cadet Squadron 411 places toys down for the annual Stuff a Plane. Dec. 6, 2025 (Photo by Brian Spears, Redlands News Collective)

Salvation Army Major Christiane Moralesez explains what the organization does to Lorean Wynya at the annual Stuff a Plane. Dec. 6, 2025 (Photo by Brian Spears, Redlands News Collective)

Salvation Army Major Christiane Moralesez and at the annual Stuff a Plane. Dec. 6, 2025 (Photo by Brian Spears, Redlands News Collective)

San Bernardino Valley College aviation instructor helps Julite Pineda, age 6, on how to fly on a flight simulator at the annual Stuff a Plane. Dec. 6, 2025 (Photo by Brian Spears, Redlands News Collective)