Christmas Toy Box collections begin Friday

Thursday, November 8, 2018
An elf from the past helps “Christmas Toy Box” coordinator Barb Ostrum of McCook retrieve toys from a trash receptacle marked especially for the donation drive of toys, books and dolls that starts Friday and runs daily through Saturday, Dec. 8. The big giveaway will be Sunday, Dec. 9.
Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Gazette

McCOOK, Neb. — Southwest Nebraska’s and Northwest Kansas’ 42nd annual “Christmas Toy Box” begins Friday with the placement throughout McCook of large trash receptacles marked especially for the donation of new, gently used and clean toys, dolls, books and games.

The Toy Box event is for anyone with a need, and a desire to make a child’s Christmas brighter. The Toy Box giveaway is earlier this year than in previous years, said “Head Elf” Barb Ostrum. The giveaway will be Sunday, Dec. 9, starting with a count-down to precisely 1 p.m., at the east door of McCook’s Memorial Auditorium at the corner of West Fifth and C streets. The handicap accessible entry is on the southeast corner.

Donating toys

Look for the specially-marked trash receptacles located outside at Orscheln’s Farm & Home, Dollar General, McCook Christian Church and Walmart in McCook into which to place donations of toys, games and dolls for the Toy Box.

Toy Box elves ask that puzzles and toys with lots of individual pieces be bagged well so that pieces don’t get separated.

Toys deposited in these outside locations are collected each evening, however, elves ask that batteries be removed because they ruins toys when they freeze; and items that can freeze, such as snow globes, be taken to indoor drop-offs.

Inside drop-off locations are McCook National Bank, First Central Bank, Eakes Office Supply and the McCook Toy Box workshop at 113 East C, all in McCook; and Adams Bank & Trust, Indianola.

Monetary donations are always welcome, Barb said, and are used to purchase batteries, or, in the case of the Toy Box’s bike shop, repair parts for the bikes and trikes.

Donations can be mailed to Barb or taken to the McCook office of Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska, 108 West C, McCook, NE 69001.

Residence requirements

There are residence requirements for shoppers at the Toy Box giveaway, Barb said. “The Toy Box is supported by the generous people of our area, and it’s our responsibility to use their resources wisely in turn to help children who live within this same area,” Barb said.

A picture identification and proof of address will be required for all shoppers, who must be at least 18 years old. No unaccompanied children will be allowed.

Shoppers must be residents of these counties:

In Nebraska: Chase, Dundy, Hayes, Hitchcock, Frontier, Red Willow and Furnas counties.

In Kansas: Decatur, Rawlins, Cheyenne and Norton counties.

Shoppers cannot bring their own boxes and bags.

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