Wisconsin Freemasons Toys for Tots donation; toys, money delivered
Toys for Tots donation by Freemasons of Southeast Wisconsin
MILWAUKEE - Hundreds of children in southeast Wisconsin will have toys to play with this holiday season thanks to the Wisconsin Freemasons, U.S. Marine Corps and Toys for Tots.
Massive toy donation
What we know:
This is the third year the Freemasons have collected money and toys for the charity. In their first year, the Freemasons collected about $3,000 worth of donations and toys. In 2024, they upped their game and collected more than $19,000 in cash and toys.
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Toys for Tots donation by Freemasons of Southeast Wisconsin
But that all pales in comparison to this year. The Freemasons collected $32,503 in toys and money for Toys for Tots in 2025.
"It's all about the kids"
What they're saying:
"I would have been happy if we'd have done even slightly less than that, but the fact that all the lodges and all the brothers got so enthusiastic about it, and we really blew this up, it, it just tickles me pink," said Karl Cleppe of the Wisconsin Freemasons. "I tell everybody it's all about the kids. We don't want any child to go hungry, we don't want any child to wake up without a toy. So this is what we do."
Cleppe and his lodge brothers delivered a box truck worth of toys to the Marine Corps Service Center in Milwaukee on Wednesday.
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Toys for Tots donation by Freemasons of Southeast Wisconsin
Cleppe told FOX6 News the Freemasons collect donations in their various lodges and then have an agreement with Fleet Farm to purchase loads of toys at a discount.
The Source: Information in this post was produced by FOX6 News.