Toys for Tots all-star ready to donate Pay It 4ward money to 2021 drive

MIDWEST CITY (KFOR) - Emily Armstrong is a free spirit and a giving spirit as well.

Emily is a popular bartender at Henry Hudson’s in Midwest City. She has lots of friends and lots of compassion. 

One year, she got involved with The Marine Corps' Toys for Tots program but it turned into a disappointment. 

"I started just before Christmas that first year,” she said. “I saw the Toys for Tots boxes up front and a donation box just for the customers. And we ended up with just a bunch of trash. And I thought 'what a shame.'"

So, Emily got busy holding community events and fundraisers throughout the years to improve on that first effort and boy did it pay off this year.

Emily helped raise $5,800 and bought 700 toys that filled 32 Marine Corps boxes.

And she loves that The Marines are involved.

"We can go and collect all the money and buy all the toys and just turn it over and have the Marine's step in and be the heroes that they are and meet the kids and distribute the toys it's nice to step back and let them do their thing too." 

Tara Albertson nominated Emily for First Fidelity Bank’s Pay It Forward Award for all she does.

"She's taken something, this COVID pandemic that’s been really negative,” Tara says, “and she's taken that energy and put it into looking at it like it's an opportunity to help others.”

When KFOR surprised Emily with the $400 award via Zoom, she was stunned.

"Oh my gosh! That's amazing!" Emily exclaimed. “That 400 dollars will go to Toys for Tots 2021!" 

With the pandemic making Christmas lean for some families this year, Emily worked extra hard on her Toys for Tots mission.

“So, I find it even more important this year. More than anything to knock it out of the park,” Emily says. “Everybody gets a toy this year."

Emily Armstrong paying it forward, one tot at a time.