 In 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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