<\/p>\n
Brandon Edwards, sophomore electrical engineering major, walks into the Visitor and Parking Information Center on Nov. 14 to donate toys in exchange for getting his parking citation waived.<\/p>\n
Bianca Lopez<\/p>\n
UCF Parking Services, the Student Government and the Military and Veteran Student Success Center announced that, through Dec. 5, students could donate toys in exchange for a waived parking citation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The MVSS at\u00a0the University of Central Florida\u00a0partnered with the U.S. Marine Corps eight years ago to serve as one of its many host locations for the national Toys for Tots Drive.<\/p>\n
But this is the first time the MVSS, Parking Services and Student Government\u00a0have partnered\u00a0up to waive citations in exchange for a donation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Michael Kepner, director for the Office of Military and Veteran Student Success, said Nissa Suarez Saldana came up with the idea.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNissa, one of our programming specialists here, she’s in charge of all of our events and programming at UCF,” Kepner said. “She was in a conversation with a gentleman from parking, and in their conversation, they came up with the idea of going back to Student Government and getting them involved in this, and that’s where the idea was born.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kepner explained that there are boxes collecting toy donations for this toy drive across campus, as\u00a0multiple organizations across campus have also decided to help collect toy donations.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’ve partnered with facilities, with various colleges, the Ginsburg Center, and the UCF Police Department,\u201d Kepner said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In order for a citation to be waived, students\u00a0must physically\u00a0hand-deliver\u00a0their donation to\u00a0the Visitor and Parking Information Center.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Only one citation can be waived for students, faculty and staff. For those who have\u00a0received more than three citations since Aug. 18, they are not eligible.<\/p>\n
If an individual has a vehicle immobilized on their account between Aug. 18 and Dec. 5, they are not eligible for the program. Additionally, a\u00a0parking citation\u00a0that has already been paid cannot be refunded.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The toy, or total number of toys, must have a minimum value of $15, and a receipt for proof must be shown.\u00a0The donation covers a maximum value of a $30 citation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ineligible citations\u00a0are boot and tow fees, bad check fees, use of lost or stolen decals, false registration, citations issued before Oct. 1, 2025, and citations not registered to your name or vehicle.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The toy must be new, unopened and unwrapped.\u00a0Toys that resemble\u00a0realistic-looking\u00a0weapons or food won\u2019t be accepted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kepner mentioned how the toy drive throughout the years has been able to collect over 700 million toys,\u00a0but he assured that the toys collected in UCF stay within the Central Florida community.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe collect toys here to donate back into Central Florida,\u201d Kepner said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kepner expects this collaboration to double the usual amount of donations they\u2019ve\u00a0received in the past.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLast year we collected 21 of these awesome boxes, and this year we hope to collect 50,\u201d Kepner said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kepner recommends toys for children\u00a0between the ages of kindergarten and fifth grade.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone loves to get a great G.I. Joe doll, but sometimes you’ve got to find the educational toys as well,\u201d Kepner said. “You know, give them the things that will help them learn, help them be successful, I always encourage folks to donate something that is going to help them grow, help them expand their knowledge and move into the future.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Instagram reel UCF\u2019s Student Government posted, announcing this<\/a>, went viral, getting over 3,000 likes and 2,300 shares.<\/p>\n Brandon Edwards,\u00a0a sophomore\u00a0electrical\u00a0engineering major, said he would like to see this implemented next school year and\u00a0shared\u00a0his opinion on this toy drive.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI think it’s a great opportunity to be able to give back in order to have this citation forgiven,\u201d Edwards said.\u00a0<\/p>\n