FGCU Police officers, faculty and students rallied together over the holidays to help sick children across Florida.
They collected more than 2,000 toys in December for Heroes Unmasked, a local non-profit that sends superheroes to children's hospitals and into the homes of chronically and terminally ill children to visit and pass out donated toys.
FGCU Police Chief Craig Kowalski said their annual toy drive to benefit Heroes Unmasked is an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children suffering the most:
"We engage with the community, partnerships are very important to us. We want to help the community. That is what we do."
UPD officers helped the superheroes from Heroes Unmasked load mounds of toys on a truck at FGCU. Batman was super busy at the time, but Robin — aka Matthew Bryant, outside of his day job as a Lee County Sheriff's Office patrol deputy — responded to the call for help.
"I am dressed up as Robin. the Boy Wonder, from the Batman series," he said. "I like being a sidekick. I like being able to help out and assist."
Robin, the Hulk, Wonder Woman, Spiderman, and Supergirl all swooped in to help load the donations as part of their mission to deliver the toys to sick children in residential homes and children's hospitals across Florida in 2026.
Heroes Unmasked, based in Port Charlotte, has visited almost 1,800 chronic or terminally ill children at hospitals and homes since the effort began in 2017.
"Not only do you see the kids smile, but you see the parents really light up. Sometimes they do not see their kids smile for weeks. And we walk in, it really brightens their day," Bryant said.
Also helping to collect the toys was FGCU math instructor Dr. Maggie Swanson: "I started doing this in 2017. I collected 130 that year. The department was so impressed. I said you should make this a competition between departments. So in 2018, this was born. Now we have climbed every year! I think last year we collected 1,700 toys. This year, over 2,000."
FGCU Director of PGA Golf Management Tara McKenna says she's thrilled seeing college kids giving back to the community.
"My students reach out to other students, family members," she explained. "We collect money and we go out shopping. Some students donate sometimes for extra credit and that is ok."
Chief Kowalski said that they also received numerous gifts and cash. Money that will go to help Heroes Unmasked drive the miles for the smiles spreading cheer throughout 2026 to the sickest children in Florida hospitals and at home.
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