96-year-old veteran organizing his 53rd annual San Francisco “toy-raising” holiday event

By Sharon Chin

A San Francisco man is planning his 53rd annual party to generate toy donations for underserved children over the Christmas holidays.

However, 96-year-old Korean War veteran Robert Meyer insists that we do not call it a fundraiser.

“It’s a TOY-raising event,” Meyer declared.

Meyer started donating toys to the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots program in the early 1970s. At the time, he had volunteered to mentor underserved kids in a San Francisco summer jobs program. but wanted to do more.

“This friend of mine who was manager of the FAO Schwartz toy store on Post Street said, ‘Bob, if you ever want to do a party, you could use my store,'” Meyer recalled.

He began organizing a holiday party and inviting friends and colleagues. The price of admission? A new, unwrapped toy.

It took him two weeks to coordinate that first party.  
    
“This is a good cause for needy children and families of needy children. Families cannot afford toys,” he said.

Meyer draws from his extensive network of connections from five decades of working in wine industry marketing. From beef to paella and focaccia, the food comes donated from some of the city’s famous eateries, like Harris’ Restaurant and Liguria Bakery

For entertainment, he’s recruited musicians and dancers from a variety of community groups. They’ve included performers like the San Francisco Chronicle reporter Kevin Fagan’s Irish Newsboys, the SF Police Lion Dance Team, the Grant Avenue Follies, the Dickens Fair Coventry Carolers, and many more.

Meyer has even brought in animals in the early years, like a cheetah and a llama from the old Marine World in Vallejo. Over the years, he’s hosted the party at a variety of hotels, restaurants and downtown stores.

“It’s a community thing. Everybody I’ve been to helps out,” he said.

As his wife, Dianne Boate, can tell you, Meyer works all year long coordinating the festivities, which generate hundreds of toys a year.

And not just for Toys for Tots. The donated toys have also gone to the city’s fire department toy drive, the Salvation Army, and the Pomeroy Center for people with developmental challenges.

Meyer said last year, the toy collection went to survivors of the war in Ukraine.

“Those are kids without eyes, arms, legs, without parents. They’re orphans,” he said.

Syndi Seid has volunteered at Meyer’s annual party for nearly 40 years and is inspired by his passion and perseverance.

“There is not another person at that age that I know who’s as much as an Energizer bunny as he is,” she said. “He loves life, loves enjoying it.”

The annual gathering is such an important part of his life that he and Boate got married during one of the toy-raising parties in 2009 at the Golden Gate Yacht Club.

With Boate by his side, Meyer has continued sharing his annual gift to children in need.

“Wouldn’t you feel good helping kids at Christmastime?” he smiled.

This year’s toy-raising party is on Monday, December 8. Admission is $25 per person, plus a new, unwrapped toy. For information, contact ToyPartySF@gmail.com or call 415-447-7601.