Toys for Tots deadlines for applications, donations approaching
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From left are Elkins Police Department Chief Travis Bennett, Mayor Van Broughton, Major Lee Stuckey from the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, City of Elkins Executive Secretary Chelsea Boggs and City Clerk Jessica Sutton.
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ELKINS --With Christmas Day now just two weeks away, Toys for Tots is hoping to get a final push for donations so that no local children have to go without gifts on the cherished holiday.
The foundation is part of the United States Marine Corps and is receiving assistance this year from the Phil Gainer Community Center and its manager, Chris Lee, who has gone above and beyond this holiday season as the lead liaison of the project.
"Donations are still rolling in regularly, but we've still got a way to go to meet our goals," said Lee. "I would implore folks to please consider dropping a new and unopened toy into a donation bin at one of our various locations."
Donation bins can currently be found at Big Lots, Walgreens, Walmart and at every Dollar General location in Elkins. There are also donation boxes at various retail locations in some of the other 10 surrounding counties that the drive benefits.
Monetary donations, which will go toward the purchase of toys, can be made at the project's website elkins-wv.toysfortots.org. The deadline for donations to be used on toys this holiday season is Dec. 18. Any funds that come in after that day will go toward next year's drive.
"Overall I've been very happy with the support from the local community for this year's toy drive," said Lee. "There are also a number of local businesses who have stepped up to the table and are hosting private toy drives within their workplace."
The foundation's goal at the start of the campaign was to supply 2,500 kids Christmas gifts this holiday season. Lee said the organization currently plans on giving gifts to 1,000 children at this point.
"At this point we have over 1,000 children throughout Randolph, Barbour, Upshur, Tucker, Lewis and Harrison Counties that will receive gifts through the Toys for Tots program this year," he said. "The majority of our application that came in this year was from Randolph and Upshur counties."
Each child that receives a donation from Toys for Tots will get at least three toys as part of the project. Lee said that they may be able to do possibly five toys depending how the stretch run goes.
"Each child is going to get at least three toys, but I'm hopeful that after we've collected all the toy donations, purchased toys with any monetary donation, and received supplemental shipments, we will be able to give as many as five," Lee said.
Toys will be distributed at the Phil Gainer Community Center on Dec. 19 and 20, based on the last name of the primary applicant. For contacts last name A-G, toy pickup will be from 8 a.m. until noon on Dec. 19. For contacts last name H-H, pick up will be on Dec. 19 from noon until 4 p.m. Contacts last name N-Z, pick up will be on Dec. 20 from 8 a.m. until noon.
In order to pick up toys, the primary contact will have to have a copy of their photo ID. The Gainer Center will also be taking extra precautions due to COVID-19 and will be practicing social distancing and all volunteers will be wearing masks.
Those receiving gifts will enter through the upper parking lot of the Gainer Center and will drive around the building to the garage door where the toys will be placed in vehicles.
"The Elkins Police Department has been incredibly helpful in offering to oversee the distribution events," said Lee. "This campaign is a major undertaking and it would not be possible without all the support from this year's volunteers.
For any information contact the Phil Gainer Center at 304-591-1410 or the Randolph County Family Resource Network at 304-636-4454.