(Corrected Information as of 11-19-20) Toys for Tots Gears Up for the Big Holiday

Darlene Lopez plans to offer brand new toys and a free holiday meal again this year, but she is altering how the Toys for Tots event is conducted in light of this year’s pandemic restrictions.

“Applications for the new gifts will be available at all the schools in Prowers County and at the County Annex up until the deadline for their return on Monday, December 4^th,” she said. There will be no donations of used toys as there has been in the past. Lopez said that cash donations will be the most useful way of getting and purchasing the toys for area youngsters.

“Each year, the Colorado State Patrol and Port of Entry sets up their vehicles for donations in front of Walmart, but our donation site will be just past the Walmart parking lot on acreage owned by Tri County Ford, past the intersection light,” she said, adding that the property owner, Jeff Travis, donated the site as the collection point on Friday, November 27^th. People can drop off their donations between 8am and 4pm that day.

(Corrected information in bold text)
Cash donations will be accepted and can be mailed to “Toys for Tots” care of Lopez at Paul’s Body Shop at 7345 US Highway 50 in Lamar and donors can also use the donation form which will be available in future editions of The Prowers Journal.

The ever-shifting COVID-19 restrictions are proving to be a challenge to the annual event, particularly how the holiday meal and the gifts will be handled. Lopez said in the past, volunteers used to assemble at the Car Palace on North Main Street for their list of names and addresses for delivery of the meals and gifts. This year, Lopez will have an alternative. Plans are still underway for the donations on Thursday, December 24^th, but Lopez is strongly considering a drive-thru scenario at the Toys for Tots Headquarters at 500 West Beech Street where the food and the gifts are handed out to the recipients between 10am and 2pm on that day. More details on how that will be handled will be forthcoming.

By Russ Baldwin