BY BILL KNIGHT
HMS Implacable
The Royal Manticoran Navy

HMS Implacable, the local chapter of The Royal Manticoran Navy will be supporting the US Marine Corps Reserve “Toys for Tots” campaign again this year. Last year, thanks to the generosity of our community, the HMS Implacable’s Toys for Tots Campaign brought in over 1,500 toys with a cash value of approximately $16,500.

This year, due to COVID-19 precautions, we have minimized our live collections. Collection boxes have been placed at the Los Alamos Metzger’s Hardware store, Papa Murphy’s, and at the Los Alamos Smith’s Marketplace.  These will remain in the stores until Dec. 4.  Please bring a new, unwrapped toy and drop it in a Toys for Tots box and share Christmas with a child in need.

To provide the Marine Corps time to ensure that collected toys have been properly isolated and cleaned prior to distribution, our Toys for Tots drive will be ending a week earlier this year, on Dec. 5.

We invite everyone who can to attend our live collection event at Smith’s Marketplace on Dec. 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. We will have a live collection area set up with appropriate social distancing, and are also sponsoring a blood drive with Vitalant to help keep the communities blood supply at a safe level during the pandemic.  You can pre-register for the blood drive at https://bloodhero.com/index.cfm?group=op&expand=951225&zc=87544

For those unable visit one of our drop-off boxes or attend our live event, , Toys for Tots has provide an online contactless toy donation app on its website at: https://toysfortotsbox.com/?utm_source=ToysforTotsFoundation&utm_medium=Website_WaystoDonate&utm_campaign=ToysforTots_from_TFT

Toys for Tots is a national charity organized by the United States Marines Corps Reserve. Its goal is to deliver, through a new toy at Christmas, a message of hope to less fortunate youngsters that will assist them in becoming responsible, productive, patriotic citizens. The United States Marine Corps Reserve has been distributing toys to those in need since 1947.  More information can be found at www.toysfortots.org.

Vitalant is one of the nation’s oldest and largest non-profit community blood service providers. They supply comprehensive transfusion medicine services for nearly 1,000 hospitals and health care partners for patients in need across 40 states.  Vitalant inspires local communities to serve the needs of others and transform lives through the selfless act of donating blood. It operates a world-renowned transfusion medicine research institute, owns a biological products distribution service and co-owns a high-volume donor testing laboratory joint venture.

The Royal Manticoran Navy (http://trmn.org/) is the official Honor Harrington fan association. They celebrate the work of David Weber and the universe he has created in the Military Science Fiction genre with his Honor Harrington book series. The Association’s structure is set up based on the examples in the books and participation teaches service and leadership skills.  Members of the organization advance those skills by their participation in community services and charitable events.

HMS Implacable is the “ship” that houses the local chapter of the Royal Manticoran Navy and is based in Los Alamos. The crew includes personnel from Los Amos, Santa Fe, Española, Chimayo, Farmington, Peralta and Montezuma.   In addition to their annual Toys for Tots program, the HMS
Implacable’s crew also cleans the grounds and places Flags and Christmas wreaths at the Santa Fe National Cemetery, participates in the Big Brothers and Big Sisters “Bowl for Kid’s Sake” campaign, as well as working with the Habitat for Humanity program.

For more information about the Royal Manticoran Navy or HMS Implacable contact Bill Knight at co@hmsimplacable.trmn.org.