Toys For Tots of Linn County Receives Massive Donation from a Marion Resident!

Do you remember or do you know of the Sears catalog? It was an amazing, full-color spectacular of what could be.  Those items could be in your home very soon, at the time.  It was a wonderland each year when that came to our home.

The Sears Catalog Saga (Kinda Boring)

The Sears catalog was packed with everything, and most of it, to a kid, was boooooooring! There was clothing (boring), housewares (boring), undergarments (boring), outdoor stuff (more boredom)... the thing was huge! Appliances (snooze), electronics (mostly boring), tools (again, moderate boredom), auto supplies (boring), sporting goods (depending on your sporting ability would decide the level of interest here) and then paydirt... TOYS!

These weren't just any toys, they were the toys that you didn't see in the store.  Where was this magical toy land? It didn't matter, because very soon every one of those toys would be mine!

I scrutinized each page and circled those items which would most closely fit my interest.  Many circles, many, I tell ya, for all those toys that soon would be coming MY way! It would be a toy bonanza!! Not one of those toys was ever mine or came my way. Not one, not even a part of one.  Toy bonanza? No, toy tumbleweed.

Yo, Joe!

Look, don't let it get ya down, it was perseverance at its finest.  It did not matter that not one toy showed up. I'd circle the pages every year in hopes that someone from the Santa Claus organization would get some of those things to me.  Side note, I'm still waiting, Mr. Claus, for you to bring the G.I. Joe Hovercraft from 1984.  The resale on that thing is crazy high right now.  Maybe that's the problem, Santa knows this and he's selling it himself.

No, I'm not bitter that every one of my friends within a 20-block radius had one in 1984.   It came packaged with the Cutter action figure and featured twin elevating cannons, two rotating machine guns, and six depth charges. Later versions didn't come with the action figure Cutter, and the price point in the Sears catalog was $19.99, but I don't really remember much else about it.

Growing up we always had a roof over our heads, but beyond that it was lean.  That's why, when I see people who do kind things for kids who may not have a lot, I like to let you know about their good deeds.

I'd Like to Introduce You to Ryan Schultz

I'd like to introduce you to Ryan Schultz.  Ryan made a generous donation of over 1,100 stocking stuffers to Toys for Tots of Linn County.  He did it with the help of an amazing group of volunteers at IC3D Printers in Eastern Iowa.

Ryan’s journey started a few years ago when his wife gifted him a 3D printer for Christmas. What began as a fun hobby soon turned into a full-blown passion. Ryan learned to create all sorts of things with his printer, including toys. His kids loved the toys he made, but Ryan felt called to do something bigger with them. 

See, this is where life gives us each a little something different.  My calling was for cheesecake, and let me tell you, the calling is something I answer. Hello, cheesecake?Yes, quite delicious.  Ryan's calling was to help others.  He could still do it with cheesecake, I'm just sayin'...

Last year, he teamed up with IC3D Printers, an Ohio-based company that organizes volunteers nationwide—known as "Printer Elves"—to design, print, and donate 3D-printed toys to Toys for Tots. As the manager of the Eastern Iowa hub, Ryan has rallied local volunteers to print and donate over 1,100 toys this year alone. 

Ryan’s personal story makes this cause even more meaningful to him. Raised by a single mom, as I was, he knows firsthand how much even a small toy can mean to a child. Ryan has also been a foster parent for over ten years and has three adopted children. He understands that foster kids often arrive with nothing—no clothes, no toys, and no belongings of their own. That’s why he believes it’s so important for every child to have something they can call their own. 

Get our free mobile app

How Can You Help During the Holidays?

IC3D makes it easy for people to join the Toys for Tots printing program by providing everything volunteers need to get started, from guides on how to print the toys, to details on the required materials. Each toy takes anywhere from 7 to 35 hours to print, and volunteers can choose which designs to work on. The program is open to new participants, with sign-ups for the 2025 season starting in the spring. To learn more, visit www.ic3dprinters.com/3d-printed-toys-for-tots. 

This holiday season, thanks to Ryan and the Printer Elves, many children will experience the magic of having a toy of their own—and that’s a gift that truly keeps on giving.  Along with his wife, Ryan lives in Marion, Iowa, with their children.