OCEANA COUNTY, Mich. — As the holiday season approaches, a retired Marine and his wife are working to ensure no child in Oceana County goes without a gift this Christmas.

James Carlson, who will turn 78 in January, has built quite a resume over his lifetime: 41 years working at Hart Public Schools, 28 years on the Hart Fire Department, and service in the Marine Reserves until his retirement in 1994. He also still actively farms.

But around Oceana County, he's known by another name.

"Everybody knows me as the toy guy," Carlson said.

Since 2001, James and his wife Sheila have been involved in the effort to make sure children have a gift under the tree. That passion to help has lead them to run their local Toys for Tots operation.

For years, the Carlsons ran the operation out of the Pent

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