Augie Artiles will help play Santa Claus for children in Alachua County this year as he and other members of a comedy group collect toys for children in need.
Artiles and other members of Aracka Spontaneous Comedy! will host their second annual Toys for Tots benefit show at Brophy’s Irish Pub, 60 SW Second St. at 9 p.m. Saturday.
Every person who attends is encouraged to bring a toy for a less-fortunate child in Alachua County, Artiles said.
Aracka spokeswoman Lauren Harmon said events like Toys for Tots are important because each toy impacts a child.
“Coming out to events like this affect(s) the community in ways you wouldn’t imagine,” Harmon said. “Any toy helps at least one child have a better Christmas.”
Harmon said coming out and supporting Aracka and Tots for Toys, will help someone you might never expect.
“You never know who you are influencing. It might just be your next-door neighbor who is benefiting from this,” she said.
Artiles said the main focus of the Toys for Tots show is to give underprivileged children a message of hope and encouragement through a toy.
“There are a whole bunch of underprivileged children, and we want to raise as many toys as we can so they can have a nice Christmas,” Artiles said.
Harmon said there are a lot of families who cannot afford toys for their children, especially in this economy, so to be able to provide families with toys would help make a memorable Christmas.
“Without Toys for Tots, millions of children would not have the opportunity to experience the type of Christmas that they deserve,” Harmon said.
The show will open with three local stand-up comedians, continue with improv from Aracka’s cast members and end with karaoke.
Toys should be new, unwrapped and age-appropriate for children younger than 15.
“No matter what the toy is, bringing anything is such a help,” Artiles said.
