CHIPS for Kids a family tradition

Many schools in the Hacienda La Puente Unified found it in their hearts to help the needy this Christmas. Some participated in the CHiPs for Kids toy drive.
For Alice Villalobos, the toy drive brings back memories of her late brother, Sgt. Eddie Sandoval, a longtime officer in the California Highway Patrol.
“Eddie was a very, very giving man. He became involved in the CHiPs For Kids program when it first began in 1989 and looked forward to it every year,” the aide at Bixby Elementary explained. “He loved to help the kids.”
The annual campaign collects new toys for disadvantaged children. Since its humble beginning three decades ago, the drive has grown to collect more than 200,000 new toys every year.
Villalobos has picked up this labor of love, orchestrating the toy drive at several local schools, including Del Valle and Temple in La Puente.
“They’re awesome, collecting many toys for needy families. I knew Eddie and he was so proud of the schools’ generosity,” said CHP Officer Edmund Zorrilla.