New Turns for Toys for Tots

Toys for Tots Headquarters at 500 West Beech Street

 

 

Toys for Tots officially begins this year on Monday, November 11th with boxes set out at collection points around Lamar and on Saturday, November 23rd, (This is a corrected date from the original article)  the annual Tea for Tots at the Lamar Christian Church on South Main Street in Lamar will bring the annual campaign into full swing.

Toys Director, Darlene Lopez, told the Prowers Journal there will be changes in the way the holiday campaign will be conducted in the future. “We’re not accepting any used or old toys anymore,” Lopez said, “People can donate new toys at our drop off centers and during Black Friday at Walmart when we receive help in gift collections from the Colorado State Patrol.” Lopez said there were several factors in coming to this decision.

Colorado State Patrols Helps with Annual Donations

“My volunteers would sometimes be at work until 11pm on nights, sorting, cleaning and fixing broken toys or some that were better off in a trash can. I can’t really imagine someone who wouldn’t just throw them away instead of thinking a child would want this on Christmas morning,” she explained, adding that the change will be a tremendous time-saver and will offer a useful present that a kid can really play with. She said she will not accept any apparel for donations, no shoes and no clothing of any kind, but diaper donations will be fine. Gifts will be accepted for children, newborns up to 15 years of age. Cash donations are always welcome.

“We gave away toys to around 400 kids in Prowers County last year and we cooked about 1,200 hot meals for our distribution day.” Lopez said the meals are still being prepared at the Lamar Middle School kitchen to go out with the gifts on the 24th.   The collection points will be Fellowship Credit Union on East Olive Street, J & S Graphics in the Village Shopping Center, Frontier Bank at Main and Olive Streets, General Dollar and Paul’s Body Shop beginning Monday, November 11th and will begin to sort out the gifts with her volunteers on the following Monday, November 18th. Lopez has moved her operations to 500 West Beech Street in Lamar after a lengthy search for a permanent location.

“Right now, it’s just me and my daughter and we’ll start looking for volunteers later this month,” she explained. Lopez added that another significant change to the Toys for Tots operation will be no longer accepting names for gift recipients from the local schools but will use another source for her community gift list.

By Russ Baldwin

Filed Under: CharityCity of GranadaCity of HollyCity of LamarCity of WileyEventsFeaturedYouth

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