For the past 11 years we have given a donation of toys to Christmas is for Kids. This is a local charity that is run by the Council for Children in our city. The need is a great one and Christmas is for Kids serves over 900 families each year with so much. Because I receive many toys for events, for review and often out of the blue I found it important to give back. I also found it important that as a family we save a little money each month to go on a shopping trip to get additional toys from us. The reason I do this part is so that the kids have a sense of ownership of the process and the donation. I also want them to understand that they are helping a child who would have gotten nothing on Christmas morning.
As a family we have been very fortunate and we want to help spread joy and cheer to those who may be less fortunate. For me, joy comes from toys. Growing up I received some of the best toys in the world, Transformers. I would be able to transform every one by Christmas morning (I opened gifts from my grandparents on Christmas Eve). I played with those toys all year long and still have them to this day. I hope that some of these toys here spark that joy and imagination in a child who may receive the toy this Christmas.
We are very grateful to the many companies who have sent us toys to review this year. Some of the toys that we donated were extras from the reviews. Some came from events such as The HoliDAY of Play ad Sweet Suite. Being a Toy Insider Parent writer has made it possible for me to receive so many extra toys this year and many of those went to this donation. We probably have well over 200 toys to donate this year. So much so that we had to move some to the hallway instead of just the stairs. There are even more toys inside the boxes on the side there, too. I can’t wait to deliver them!
After this shot we boxed up all the toys as tightly as possible and we ened up with 8 uge boxes of toys and will probably have to make two trips to make the donation!
I am a fan of the FAST & FURIOUS movie franchise. This super fast, super flashy and super stunt filled set of movies is now getting a version for the younger crowd. A new series on NEtflix is set to debut on December 26th, FAST & FURIOUS: SPY RACERS. This animated series follows the cousin of Dom Torreto, Tony Torreto. One can only hope that in at least one episode Vin Diesel will grant his gravelly voice to the character of Dom and seal this series as complete canon into the world of FAST & FURIOUS. It would be so perfect if he did. Plus he would be working with his daughter Similce Diesel. There are so many people who could guest star in an episode and work with the kids. Check out the trailer below and see what the action looks like.
I hope that we see the theme of family within this series. Family is everything was a huge part of the FAST & FURIOUS movies. I am pretty sure that Dreamworks will do this right and make family of central importance.
Here’s some official word on the show and what it will be all about. Also, I should be getting some screeners to check out the show early and will be posting my thoughts for you.
“The exciting adventure series for kids features the voice talents of Tyler Posey (Teen Wolf) as Dom’s younger cousin turned spy racer Tony Toretto, Camille Ramsey (American Vandal) as the formidable Layla Gray, a notable underground racer who works for SH1FT3R, Luke Youngblood (Harry Potter) as Frostee Benson, a 13-year old tech genius, Charlet Chung (Overwatch) as Echo, a master artist and natural spy, Jorge Diaz (Jane the Virgin) as Cisco Renaldo, both the muscle and the sweetheart of the crew, Renée Elise Goldsberry (Hamilton) as the team’s secret agent liaison Ms. Nowhere, Similce Diesel as Frostee’s younger sister Sissy, and Manish Dayal (The Resident) as Shashi Dhar, the world-domination-obsessed leader of the criminal organization SH1FT3R.
Jimmy Tatro (American Vandal), Carlos Alazraqui (The Fairly OddParents) , Eric Bauza (The Adventures of Puss in Boots), Grey Griffin (DC Super Hero Girls), Kevin Michael Richardson (Trolls: The Beat Goes On!), Fred Tatasciore (Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia), and Tru Valentino (Archibald’s Next Big Thing) also guest star.”
Join the ride when Fast & Furious: Spy Racers arrives on Netflix December 26!
Follow @DRMWRX on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for Spy Racers updates and more.
About the Fast & Furious Franchise:
Over the course of nine films that have successively stoked passion in an ever-expanding audience and earned nearly $6 billion at the worldwide box office, Universal Pictures’ record-smashing homegrown franchise has become the studio’s most-profitable and longest-running one. Across social media platforms, fan following for the movies and cast has grown into the biggest of any active franchise. On the heels of The Fate of the Furious, which debuted in theaters as the biggest global opening of all time, the blockbuster franchise has expanded to a multitude of offerings – from toys and video games, to an all-new animated series and successfully launched spin-off franchise. The Ninth Chapter in the Fast & Furious saga hits U.S. theaters May 22, 2020.
About DreamWorks Animation:
DreamWorks Animation is one of the world’s leading producers of high-quality, animated family programming, reaching consumers in more than 190 countries. Creating a diverse array of original content in a variety of formats and delivering deep, fully immersive worlds served up with compelling characters, the prolific studio has garnered 25 EmmyⓇAwards since inception in 2013 and is home to such beloved series as Trollhunters, Spirit Riding Free, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Trolls: The Beat Goes On!, The Boss Baby: Back in Business, Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny, Voltron Legendary Defender, The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants, Dragons: Race to the Edge, All Hail King Julien, The Adventures of Puss in Boots and the recently released 3Below. DreamWorks is a division of the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group within NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.
About One Race Films / One Race TV
One Race Films, founded in 1995 by writer, director, producer and actor Vin Diesel, has produced the five highest-grossing films in the “Fast” franchise — “Fate of the Furious,” “Furious 7,” “Fast and Furious 6,” “Fast Five” as well as “Fast & Furious.” He has directed “Multifacial,” “Strays” and “Los Bandoleros.” This February, Sony will release the ORF produced Bloodshot, also starring Diesel, and has previously launched multiple franchises in the action genre, including the science-fiction thriller “Pitch Black” and the two follow-up films, “Chronicles of Riddick” and “Riddick,” along with the hit “xXx” franchise. In addition to a thriving film production company, ORF launched One Race Television and gaming company Tigon Studios. ORTV has a first-look deal with Universal Television and is currently developing projects with NBC and Fox and in production with DreamWorks Animation on the Netflix original series “Fast & Furious: Spy Racers.” Tigon Studios has produced three critically acclaimed console titles including “Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay” and original property “The Wheelman.”
Here’s some official word on the show and what it will be all about. Also, I should be getting some screeners to check out the show early and will be posting my thoughts for you.
