Toys for Tots program gets a boost

Boxes began to show up throughout Sidney stores at the beginning of November to collect toys for the annual Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots toy drive.

You can find donation drop-off boxes at Larry’s Clothing Co., Cosmic Quarter Arcade, Sonny’s Super Foods, Walmart, Points West Community Bank and the Cheyenne County Community Center, Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Cheyenne County coordinator Amanda White said.

Though the Toys for Tots drive has been present in Cheyenne County for years, the coordinators of the event, Sidney’s Jaycees group, joined the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Foundation last year, White said.

White said that officially joining the foundation allowed the team to get a lot more useful resources.

White also said that even though Cheyenne County is now part of the organization, all donations would still stay within the county.

“Every penny and every toy that is donated in Cheyenne County stays in Cheyenne County. Even if you donate online, it goes in the Cheyenne County account,” White said.

“This year we have over 1,500 toys so far, including the toys that the foundation gave us,” White said. “This year was definitively a fundraising year. We go a lot more money than toys but the foundation stepped up and gave us five pallets of toys,” White said.

Also contributing to the cause this weekend were the Knights of Columbus, who handed coordinator Amanda White a $500 check for the Toys for Tots cause on Dec. 12.

The Knights of Columbus held one of their pancake breakfasts Sunday Dec. 9 at Saint Patrick’s Parish Center as a fundraiser for Toys for Tots. The breakfast was from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and open to the public.

About 80 people attended, estimated treasurer of the organization, Rob Robinson.

“We had a blast on Sunday,” White said.

“I think this event was really important. Our mission for the Knights is charity. It falls right into our purpose,” Robinson said.

Though this is the first time the Knights have used one of their pancake breakfast to raise money for Toys for Tots, it will not be their last, Grand Knight Bob Elsen Jr. said.

Toys R Us also gave Cheyenne County’s Toys for Tots organization a $4,000 grant and Walmart also gave a generous donation of $2,000 worth of toys, White said.

Cabela’s Volunteer Committee also held a fundraiser selling bells for Toys for Tots.

“This year has been a big fundraising year. All of the funds we have raised will go to buy toys for whatever age group we think we are short on,” White said.

White said that infant to age 16 are the ages accepted into the Toys for Tots program and only new, unwrapped toys are accepted.

“Typically it runs that we are short on infant and on teens toys, but this year the foundation spent all of their money on teens. We see a little less of infant toys so that is where the extra money goes,” White said. “Looking at the toys as this week progresses, I’ll be looking to see how many children in each age range we have and will go buy more to make sure that every child gets a good Christmas.”

Parents will be able to pick up the toys for their children on Dec. 15 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. No special requests are allowed.

“To sign up you have to go to http://sidney-ne.toysfortots.org. I will allow signups until Friday. I’m not going to short anybody. We want as many kids as we can help to be signed up,” White said.

The last donation box pick-up will be shortly after 5 p.m. this Friday.

“What we want to do is bring hope to the children of Cheyenne County and by doing this, especially during the Christmas season when they don’t feel like they could possibly have a great Christmas, is going to bring them hope in the future,” White said. “Hopeful this shows them that everybody cares about them.”

White said that this year it appears that there will be enough toys to give three to each child signed up.

Volunteers are still needed to help on Saturday’s toy distribution day, White said.

Volunteers will get to decorate their own Christmas hat and the volunteer with the best-decorated hat will receive a $15 gift card to The Book and Coffee Corner, White said.

Another 20 volunteers are needed and White said she would take as many people helping out as she can get.

Optional gift wrapping of the presents are also offered at the toy pick-up.

For any that would like to volunteer to help at the event, Coordinator Amanda White can be contacted at 308-249-2738.

“This is really important to the kiddos. It’s got my whole heart and soul,” White said.