Paragon Tattoo, GTWC Partner to Bring Toys for Tats

In a prelude to the Christmas holiday, the Grand Terrace Woman's Club and Paragon Tattoo shop partnered for two consecutive weekends on Dec. 7 and Dec. 14, to host the 2013 Toys for Tats event, which took place at the tattoo shop's Moreno Valley and Grand Terrace locations, respectively. The Woman's Club and the tattoo parlor have been collaborating for four years now in the project, which through donations, helps treat privately selected Grand Terrace families with holiday toys, clothing and canned food goods through the Woman's Club's Child Help program, which the Club has hosted for 28 years, explained GTWC publicity chair Debbie Earle. "These guys give so much," she said. "At the Moreno Valley store I think they were there from 10 a.m. to 4 a.m. the next day doing tattoos. People were just lined up." When the Moreno Valley-based shop expanded to include a Grand Terrace location, Moreno Valley shop owner Julius Vargas said they were looking for ways to help the community they now said they were a part of. They eventually were put in touch with Earle. "We were new in the community and we opened around Christmas time and it was a collective decision in the shop," said Vargas. "This was something everyone wanted to do." The parlor is also actively involved in other fundraising efforts with organizations like the American Cancer Society. During the fundraiser at the Moreno Valley location, Vargas said "definitely over 100 people" showed up with children's toys and canned food donations. In return for their toys, donors received free tattoos, anywhere from an $80 to $100 value, explained Vargas. At the Grand Terrace shop last weekend, approximately 60 to 80 toys were donated, approximated owner Jacob Doney. "It seems that every year more and more people are coming out and it makes me feel great that people want to help," said Vargas. "For our tattoo shop, we always want to give back as much as we can," said Doney. "This is our way of telling people thank you," Doney said. "They covered two walls with food donations," Earle said. "These guys are just so amazing." Last weekend's fundraiser at the Grand Terrace shop also yielded multiple donations, including toys such as Barbie dolls and even a small bike, Earle shared. Earle said donations came in so steadily that it was necessary this year to house them in a storage unit donated by Mr. Darwin of Darwin Realty in Grand Terrace.