EL PASO - The December winner of Senator Eliot Shapleigh’s "Adelante Con Ganas" award, which is given to “an ordinary person who is doing extraordinary deeds,” is a Marine Reserve unit that is headed to Iraq in January, but must first complete its Toys For Tots program in El Paso.

The award is being given to the Delta Battery, 2nd Battalion, 14th Marines, 4th Marine Division which has about 130 El Pasoans in its company. The company will be mobilizing on January 4th, and will be shipping to Iraq on January 8th.

Along with its military service, the company is a major player in El Paso’s annual Toys for Tots program. For the past three years they have collected about 20,000 toys each year and are hoping to do the same this year.

As the recipient, the company will receive a bust of President John F. Kennedy commemorating the award, and a Texas flag that was flown over the state’s Capitol which will be taken by the unit to Iraq and flown there.

The Con Ganas award is awarded the first week of each month by Senator Shapleigh. Nominations are solicited throughout the month and must be for “ordinary people who are doing extraordinary deeds.”