What Is A Toy Ruck?
Turn Miles Into Smiles
Santa's Workshop's annual Ruck March Toy Drive, December 7–11, brings units across Fort Hood together to support military families during the holiday season.
Units ruck to Santa's Workshop carrying new toys, books, and board games for military children ages 4 months through 16 years. Whether your unit arrives together after an early-morning ruck or delivers its collection later in the day, every donation helps stock the Workshop for the families we serve.
Your route. Your team. One incredible mission.
Why Ruck for Santa's Workshop?
BUILD CAMARADERIE
Bring your unit together around a shared mission.
SUPPORT FAMILIES
Every donated item helps Santa's Workshop prepare for the holiday season
GIVE WHERE YOU SERVE
Make a direct impact right here in the Fort Hood community
What Should We Bring?
Fill Your Rucks With Joy
Santa's Workshop accepts:
-
New, Unwrapped Toys
For children ages 4 months -16 years
-
New Books
For all ages and reading levels.
-
New Board Games
Games children and family will enjoy together
All donated items must be new and in giftable condition
Still not sure what to bring?
View our Current Wish List
Planning a Unit Competition?
A little friendly competition can make your Toy Ruck even more fun! If your unit chooses to hold a competition, we encourage you to avoid scoring based solely on the number of toys collected.
Quantity-based competitions can unintentionally encourage donations of lower-quality items that may not meet the needs of the children we serve.
Instead, consider competing by:
Most Creative Ruck • Highest Participation • Best Holiday Spirit • Most Wish-List Items Collected
Our goal isn't simply to collect the most toys, it's to provide gifts that families will be excited to choose for their children.
How It Works
01
Choose Your Day & Time
Select an available arrival time between December 7-11
02
Plan Your Route
Your unit is responsible for all coordination and any required road guards
03
Ruck For The Mission
Load up your new toys, gather your unit and make your way to Santa's Workshop
04
We'll Be Waiting
Our elves will be ready to welcome your unit and celebrate your accomplishment
Do We Need to Submit a CONOP?
No. However, CONOPs can be helpful to our Ruck Coordinator when multiple units are scheduled on the same day. Because units often use different routes and may have different arrival times, having this information helps us anticipate traffic and coordinate arrivals at the Workshop.
Your unit remains responsible for its route planning, road guards, and safety requirements.
