Toys

The Holiday Toy Express carrying Santa and Mrs. Claus, ornaments and 50,000 lights will pull into the downtown Burbank's Metrolink station at 6:50 p.m. Friday. The stop is part of the Spark of Love toy drive to benefit disadvantaged children in Burbank and other cities in the Los Angeles area. Toy donations will be accepted that night to be given to children in Burbank. Refreshments will be served and entertainment provided by the Jingle Singers at the event. For more information on the Spark of Love, call (818)

The Walt Disney Co. rode World Cup soccer, "Toy Story 3" and careful cost controls to increased revenue and profitability in the third quarter of 2010, according to the latest earnings reports released Tuesday. Revenues topped $10 billion for the Burbank-based entertainment giant, an increase of 16% over the same quarter the prior year. Net profit was also up 40% to $1.33 billion, the company reported. The studio entertainment unit saw $123 million in profits after taking a $12-million loss in the same quarter a year ago. "Toy Story 3," which has earned an estimated $900 million worldwide, led the charge.

Comprehensive Financial Services, a Burbank-based organization, held a toy drive to benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Burbank. On Dec. 10, 160 employees with Comprehensive Financial Services presented the collected gifts. Days later, the Boys & Girls Club welcomed a visit from Santa on Dec. 16. Assemblyman Mike Gatto also paid a visit with volunteers from Bank of America to give away over 150 gifts.    

BURBANK — After three highly publicized recalls by Mattel this summer involving thousands of Chinese-made, lead-tainted toys, the Walt Disney Co. and Toys ‘R’ Us both announced steps to independently test their products. “We will enhance our compliance process,” Disney spokeswoman Nidia Tatalovich said. “This sends a message to [manufacturers] that says, ‘We are looking over your shoulder.’” Previously, Disney would license the production of toys to manufacturers, which would submit documentation back to Disney based on the toys’ safety standards.

The Burbank Fire Department delivered thousands of toys and stuffed animals to children at the Grossman Burn Center this week. The donations came Tuesday on a flatbed truck, a battalion chief's truck and a Burbank fire engine, center nurse and spokeswoman Elaine Shortall said. The items came from an anonymous donor and the effort was organized by the department. Bill Jensen, a former Glendale firefighter who was badly burned in the 1997 Malibu Canyon Fire, joined Burbank firefighters to present the gifts.

Residents are asked to bring in new, unwrapped gifts to any one of Burbank's six fire stations during the annual Spark of Love toy drive through Dec. 25. Firefighters will collect the toys and deliver them to the Burbank Temporary Aid Center for distribution to needy local families. This is the sixth year the Burbank Fire Department has participated in the countywide drive, which is co-sponsored by KABC-TV Channel 7. Burbank fire station locations: Station 11: 200 N. 3rd St. Station 12: 644 N. Hollywood Way. Station 13: 2713 Thornton Ave. Station 14: 2305 W. Burbank Blvd.

Gary Moskowitz TRANSPORTATION CENTER -- Santa Claus and the holiday toy express train got held up by rainy conditions this weekend. The 450-ton train, which has been decorated with large holiday ornaments and more than 30,000 holiday lights and filled with gifts, has now been set to arrive at 6 p.m. Friday at the Burbank Metrolink Station, 201 N. Front St., in Burbank. The rescheduled lighting ceremony at the train station will also feature a tribute to honor local firefighters who were called to duty in New York City after the Sept.

Jacqui Brown A local eldercare company, along with area retailers and eldercare agencies, is hoping to bring joy into the lives of area seniors with a visit from Santa this holiday season. The area office of Home Instead Senior Care, one of the nation's largest providers of non-medical home care and companionship for the elderly, has teamed with In Care Foundation, Burbank Healthcare, Alameda Care Center, Verdugo Valley Convalescent Hospital, Burbank Unified School District, Kmart and Sav-On Drugs to provide presents to seniors who might otherwise be overlooked.

DOWNTOWN — Local firefighters say they’re struggling to fill orders for toy donations in the wake of Metrolink’s decision to cancel a main collection drive last week. Because of rain, officials said logistics prevented the annual Metrolink Holiday Toy Express, where residents donate hundreds of unwrapped toys for needy families, from being rescheduled. That took what little wind there was out of the sails for local fire departments, which depend on the brightly decorated train and musical performances to spur toy donations from the community for the “Spark of Love” campaign.

Robert Blechl BURBANK -- After recovering from a brain tumor, 10-year-old Annali Kingston organized the first toy drive last year. During the planning, her mother, Lisa Smith, discovered she also had a brain tumor. Now recovered, both mother and daughter will be hosting the second annual toy drive from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. today at Pickwick Ice Center, 1001 Riverside Drive. Toys that are collected will be distributed Thursday at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles to kids with brain tumors, cancer, AIDS, leukemia and other life-threatening illnesses, organizers said.