Tuesday, December 20, 2011
 
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Toys for Tots and parents prepare for the big day

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[December 20, 2011]  For the 11th year, Sgt. Robert E. Graue Toys for Tots Detachment 1336 for Logan County has accomplished its mission to provide a fun Christmas for Logan County kids, and allow parents a sigh of relief.

HardwareIn 2010 there were 700 children on the registration list. This year it jumped to 1,100 for a Logan and Mason County distribution effort.

Early Friday morning, volunteers met at the Lincoln Rural Fire District headquarters and prepared for the process of assisting parents in selecting toys for their children.

Jim Harnacke and Jay and Donna Gaydosh started the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation collection and distribution years ago. Originally the toy boxes were taken to Community Action and organized for pickup. The project outgrew the original location four years ago. That was a sign that things were changing for families. But mostly it said the kids still needed Christmas.

"We couldn't do this without the generosity of the people of Logan County," said Donna Gaydosh on Friday. "People go out of their way to support this project. Our goal is to get toys for kids for Christmas.

"Secondly, we want the parents to be able to take the items home and wrap them. That makes it their gift. It lets the parent be part of the process. The kids don't know the difference, and the parents can feel good about their children having something."

Parents had to register in advance for each child. Two toys and a stocking stuffer were allotted per child. Also, a package of candy was added for a stocking stuffer. Thorntons donated 84 12-bag cases of candy.

Wal-Mart gave a large grant, and Kroger and Big R also donated to the cause. Mel-O-Cream donated several dozen doughnuts for volunteers.

"So many businesses, organizations and individuals have supported this project," Donna Gaydosh said, "and we will acknowledge their assistance because without their partnerships we couldn't get this done.

"It is wonderful how much this is appreciated. People don't realize how their donations add up. They don't have to give large amounts.

"Throw me a dollar and I'll buy a toy," Gaydosh said. "If everybody gives a dollar, it helps. That is what this is -- everyone putting their dollars, their time, their efforts together for the kids."

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The Logan County Toys for Tots has fundraisers throughout the year. There was a golf tournament with numerous contributors, and in September the group had a cruise-in at the New Holland fire station. In January the fundraisers will begin again, to allow for next year's project.

In 2011 the Logan County organization has expanded to help families in DeWitt and Mason County. Donations are used specifically in the county where they were collected, but one point of contact has assisted the other counties with coordination of collection and distribution. The Waynesville American Legion post collected funds and toys, and other locations in DeWitt County were set up as collection sites.

Monday there was distribution in Havana for Mason County, which was originally to receive assistance from Jacksonville, but that site ran short of toys and funds. At that point the Logan County Toys for Tots partnered with Mason County.

Donna Gaydosh said she is adamant about spending the donated funds from Logan County in Logan County, which she feels is the organization's way of keeping everything local.

Organizers are to document funds and every toy collected and distributed, and they must submit a detailed report to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation after the event. Collection, distribution and accountability are based on military procedures that dictate precise information and hold the program to a standard volunteers can be proud of and donors can trust.

[By MARLA BLAIR]

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