It's about more than just toys.

Joint Base Lewis-McChord Santa's Castle has been making the holidays brighter for children of military families since 1994. This all volunteer, nonprofit organization has been providing holiday gifts to children of Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine, Coast Guard, activated National Guard and Reserve families (E-4 and below) who are experiencing financial difficulties.  Accepting monetary and new toy donations year round, Santa's Castle relies on the generosity of donors and volunteers alike. Last year, Santa's Castle provided gifts to more than 2,300 children from 980 families.

Servicemembers and their families who meet the criteria, have children 17 years of age and younger and are referred, may be eligible to participate in Santa's Castle.  The Servicemember's chain of command (1st Sergeant and above) refers families to the program. After completing the necessary paperwork, qualifying families are notified of their acceptance into the program and given further instructions.

Before the holidays and during designated hours, eligible families are given an appointment time to come to Santa's Castle, which is located on JBLM Main. Families are paired with their very own "elf," who assists them with their shopping needs during their appointment.  Each child in the family can receive three to five gifts.  Each child also receives a book, and a board game is provided for each family (the game corresponds to the eldest child's age).

Toys, books and games are all brand new.

The Santa's Castle "store" is festive, immaculate and highly organized.  Items are organized by the child's age for easy shopping.

Spirited and dedicated volunteers are readying Santa's Castle and collecting donations for this year. Each year, volunteers are amazed at the outpouring of care from the community.

"I am amazed with the generosity and support from the people in this community," said Krista Kamper, the vice president of scheduling for Santa's Castle. "It almost brings me to tears."

Jerry Johnson, a retired Servicemember and Santa's Castle longtime honorary volunteer Santa, enjoys his role in the organization.

"I'm giving back," he said.

Due to health issues, Johnson is unable to participate as Santa this year. But don't count him out.

"I help challenge vets and civic organizations to donate to Santa's Castle," he said.

These organizations and individuals are meeting the challenge, and donations are steadily coming in, said Santa's Castle board president Kristina McClain.

However, there is more work to do. This year, Santa's Castle is expecting more children and families in need.

"This is a phenomenal organization," said McClain. "Our goal for 2012 is to help more families. We are facing hard economic times as a country. It's important to help our families that sacrifice so much."

Here's how you can help: Santa's Castle accepts new toy and monetary donations year round from individuals, groups, military units, small businesses, civic organizations and corporations. Donations for teen boys and girls (ages 14 to 17) are particularly needed.  If you wish to donate, and for more details, visit the Santa's Castle web site at http://jblmsantascastle.org, e-mail Secretary@jblmsantascastle.org, or call (253) 964-0635. You can also visit their Facebook page. The organization also welcomes your visit if you wish to learn more. Contact Santa's Castle to make an appointment.

Santa's Castle is also seeking volunteers to serve as "elves" and perform other duties for this upcoming holiday season. On Nov. 15, Elf training will be held in the morning and evening. Sessions run approximately 30 minutes. For more information, contact the volunteer coordinator at volunteercoordinator@jblmsantascastle.org.