It's not even Halloween but already local charities are planning their annual Christmas campaigns.

Representatives of a number of agencies attended a luncheon Friday at the U.S. Marine Corps League Toys for Tots warehouse -- almost everyone except Santa himself -- to prevent duplication of services.

Marine Corps League commandant Reggie Knight said there are still 1,296 toys left over from last year. Eleven Marines had to inspect toys made in China for lead, after the latest scare, Knight said. Only one toy had to be taken to the dump.

Knight said he went to the national headquarters of the Marine Corps League in Quantico, Va., and received designation of the local group as an independent chapter. They will hand out toys for all of Nye County, from the Yomba Indian reservation near Ione in the far northwest, to children of prisoners confined at Indian Springs.

This year Knight said the Marine Corps League will hand out toys to the various agencies instead of personally, due to the growth of the program.

"All monies that are donated will stay in Nye County," Knight said.

Companies are already lining up donations. Knight said Toys-R-Us has agreed to sponsor $2,000 for a shopping trip. U-Haul is donating two trucks to pick up toys at Meadows Mall in Las Vegas Nov. 2-3.

Knight said the Marine Corps Toys for Tots different donations were received for operating the warehouse, power from Valley Electric Association, propane for heat from Shoshone Propane, donated janitorial services and four months free rent.

"No kid in Nevada will go without some kind of Christmas toy," Knight said. "I have 30 organizations I picked out so far we'll be donating toys to."

Fundraisers are tentatively scheduled at the Pahrump Nugget bowling alley and Skate Zone, and Homeland Heroes has scheduled a function.

The Pahrump Family Resource Center / No To Abuse and the Salvation Army both started accepting applications for Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets on Monday. Applicants will need to show identification, proof of residence, proof of income and names of other members in their household to be eligible, Family Resource Center member Dorothy Ryans said.

Norma O'Connor, from the Salvation Army, said the increased identification requirements are an attempt to prevent spouses of other applicants from getting duplicate Christmas baskets for their families.

The baskets for Thanksgiving will be handed out Nov. 19-21 at the Pahrump Family Resource Center. Christmas baskets will be handed out Dec. 19-21.

Stacey Smith, of the Nye Community Coalition, said she is concerned about donors reselling gifts to buy drugs.

The Sassy Red Hatters will hold a drive to support the troops in Iraq, Pat Smith said.

Jackie Wondra, from Oasis Outreach Ministries, said the annual Christmas motorcycle run Dec. 16 will benefit 62 families this year. They are working with the Nye County Sheriff's Office on that program, to hand out boxes of turkeys and toys. Many families are from recovering members of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, Smith said.

Marsha Kenyon, with the Nevada Federal Credit Union, said her company will match food donations to No To Abuse and the Pahrump Family Resource Center can for can this month.

Pahrump Valley High School students and Rosemary Clarke Middle School students are expecting to mount food drives during Red Ribbon Week at the end of this month.

Knight said the local Methodist church is coordinating toys for children of prisoners.

Pahrump Valley Disposal is providing additional storage facilities, besides the Toys for Tots warehouse, Knight said.

There will be an attempt to coordinate the Angel Tree program this year, Knight said, in which donors buy a gift for a needy child posted on a Christmas tree.

"Merchants need to know they're collecting Angel Trees for the Salvation Army and not some other organizations," Knight said.

The Pahrump Valley Chamber of Commerce donated $1,000 raised at the annual chili cook-off to the Pahrump Valley Lions Club Tuesday night, to help kick start the Letters to Santa program this year. The chamber and the lions club have co-sponsored the annual charity for the last five years.