Toy tester

Harper Ferneau checks out the toys at the set-up of the "McCook Christmas Toy Box," helping her mother, Heather, and a crew of volunteers prepare for the annual gift giveaway scheduled Sunday, Dec. 8, at 1 p.m., in McCook's Memorial Auditorium at the corner of West Fifth and C streets. Santa's elves will accept donation of toys, dolls, games and balls through Saturday afternoon at the north roll-up door of the auditorium, or in the outside drop-offs at McCook Christian Church, Walmart, Dollar General and Orscheln's. Organizers will also accept monitory donations, to purchase batteries for toys and games and to buy bike parts and pay for Toy Box Bike Shop utilities. On the day of the giveaway, shoppers must provide photo identification and proof of residence indicating they live in one of these counties: Chase, Dundy, Hayes, Hitchcock, Frontier, Red Willow or Furnas county in Nebraska, or Cheyenne, Rawlins, Decatur or Norton county in Kansas. No unattended children under 18 are allowed, nor are shopping bags, boxes or strollers used for shopping carts.