HALFMOON, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Summer is the perfect time to practice your swing on the putting green. The Capital Region Toys for Tots campaign hopes you’ll tee off with them Friday, August 18 during the annual fundraising golf tournament which marks the unofficial start to their gift collection season. 

“That donation at the beginning of the season is really what helps us kind of kick things off on the right foot,” says Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Ted Kleniewski.

He says between moving locations, increased need, and decreased donations during last year’s campaign, they really need a mulligan. This year, the golf tournament is moving to a new green at Fairways of Halfmoon.

“We are absolutely thrilled to have the Toys for Tots organization join us for a golf tournament here, and ideally, we’d like to make this the most successful tournament they’ve ever had!” says Jackie Capone, the Tournament Director at Fairways.

“I don’t know of anybody who lives here who has not heard of the Toys for Tots campaign, and who doesn’t love that and who doesn’t want to help a child?” she goes on.

Kleniewski reiterates theirs is the third largest campaign in the world serving more than 300,000 kids. They’re currently below the signups they’d like to see for the golf tournament, and that could trickle down to the presents they can prepare this Christmas.

“The tournament is actually critical to our success every year as it brings in the much-needed funds. This is our eighth year doing it, so it’d be kind of weird not to have it,” Kleniewski explains to NEWS10’s Mikhaela Singleton.

He says ideally, they’d like another dozen teams signed up by Saturday. If you’re already looking for your weekly tee time, Kleniewski says doing it to give local kids a happy Christmas time could be a real hole in one.

“I know a big thing talking to many parents while serving the Capital Region Toys for Tots is they don’t want kids to have nothing to open Christmas morning. That’s every parent’s probably biggest fear when it comes to that, right?” he says.

“By supporting Capital Region Toys for Tots, you are ensuring that families that are down on their luck or in a tight spot–that they are not having to go through that with their children. They won’t have to have those bad or negative memories with their kids on Christmas morning,” he goes on to say.

Visit the link here to sign up for the 8th Annual Capital Region Toys for Tots Golf Tournament.