How Colton Rotary Saved the Season by Stella Pierce - City News Group, Inc.

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How Colton Rotary Saved the Season

By Stella Pierce
Community Writer
12/17/2025 at 03:13 PM

There is a special kind of electricity in the air around Colton these days, a little extra shimmer of holiday hope that wasn't there before. Just when it seemed the season needed a hero, one arrived or rather, a whole team of them, clad not in capes, but in the spirit of giving.

In a truly heartwarming turn of events right in the nick of time, Dominique and her incredible team from the Colton Rotary Club have set up shop at the local Colton Walmart, launching a toy drive that is rapidly becoming the highlight of the local holiday season.

It felt like a scene right out of a Christmas movie. Just as the calendar pages were turning dangerously close to the big day, Rosa Dominguez and her fellow Rotary members stepped up with a mission: to ensure that every child in Colton and the surrounding areas experiences the joy of finding a surprise waiting for them under the tree.

But even Santa needs a workshop, and that’s where the Colton Walmart stepped in with open arms. By generously offering their space to the Rotary team, Walmart has become more than just a store; it’s transformed into a bustling hub of community kindness.

The result has been absolutely wonderful to witness. The energy near the entrance has been glowing as busy shoppers pause in their tracks. We’ve seen families, already laden with their own groceries, take that extra moment to pick out a doll, a board game, or a shiny new truck and drop it into the collection bins. Parents are using it as a sweet teachable moment, showing their own little ones the importance of sharing joy with neighbors they haven't met yet.

It’s a beautiful reminder that sometimes, the best gifts aren't the ones we buy for ourselves, but the ones we give away. Thanks to the quick thinking of Dominique and her Rotary team, and the welcoming community spirit of Walmart, the season is looking a whole lot brighter for our littlest neighbors.

 

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