Toys for Tots brings in hundreds of gifts for local children

 

[December 19, 2020] 

On Friday, Jay and Donna Gaydosh and volunteers spent the day at the Lincoln Rural Fire Protection District fire house setting up for the Saturday distribution of Toys for Tots.

The distribution will go on throughout the day today (Saturday December 19th) with parents or guardians being allowed in one at a time to shop for Christmas gifts for the youngsters in the household.

The distribution event is being done differently this year because of the coronavirus. Donna Gaydosh explained that this year the parent or guardian will park in the back parking area at the fire station. One person may come to the door and will be given a number. That person should then return to his or her vehicle. The designated shopper will be called in numerical order to come in and gather together what they need for Christmas this year.

There will be only one shopper at a time allowed inside the building and face masks are required.

Gaydosh said that there will be about 600 children benefit from the Toys for Tots this year. She said that number does not differ greatly from years past.

Gaydosh said one of the special things about Toys for Tots is that there are no income guidelines in order to receive toys. She noted that even people who are not technically living in poverty can still be struggling. She said, “Let them pay their rent and utilities and let me worry about the toys.”

Early Friday morning, Jay and Donna pulled in a large box truck at the fire house. All the items donated this year had been collected a week ahead of time and had sat in their own little quarantine. Then they were all brought into the fire house on Friday morning.

Gaydosh said that the Logan County Fair Board was lending tables and that all the items would be placed on the tables.

While Jay and his helpers were busy unloading the box truck, Logan County resident Andy Meister stopped by to deliver a donation. Donna helped him unload the numerous toys that were in the back of his pick-up truck.

Gaysdosh said that there have been a lot of donations this year and the Toys for Tots Foundation had also stepped up with a $6,000 donation for Logan County.

Gaydosh says that she shops throughout the year, picking up items when the prices are good and storing them away for the holiday event.

At the end of the day today, anything left over will be packed up and stored for next year, so no donation goes to the wayside and eventually local children will benefit from every item given.

On behalf of the Marine Corps Toys for Tots, the Gaydoshs want to thank everyone who pitched in with the toy drive, noting that every item no matter how big, how small or the cost incurred is going to make Christmas a little brighter for area children this year.

And thanks also go to the Gaydoshs, who have managed the program in the community for the last several years. The commitment to our community is priceless.

[Nila Smith]