Santa's helpers collecting gifts for annual Toy Box Giveaway

Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Six-year-old Solomon Hare,the son of JoLyn and Tim Hare of Culbertson, Nebraska, helps McCook Toy Box elves retrieve donated toys from a collection receptacle. (Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Gazette)

McCOOK, Neb. -- While 6-year-old Solomon Hare really enjoyed climbing into and out of the trash receptacle turned into a "toy box" to retrieve "a herd of ponies" donated for the annual McCook "Christmas Toy Box Collection," he said he's planning to ask Santa Claus for "a Hulk who drives a car with a controller thing."

Solomon and his mom, JoLyn, helped Santa's elves make a Toy Box collection point pick-up.

At the drop-off at McCook Christian Church, Solomon climbed into the specially-decorated trash dumpster and discovered stuffed ponies, dolls, doll clothes and games.

Head Elf Barb Ostrum said she's been touched by the generosity of donors since she and her volunteers placed collection receptacles out the day after Thanksgiving. "We've had wonderful toys and games donated already," she said.

Santa's helpers ask that donated toys of all sorts and for all ages of children be clean and gently-used, in working order with all their parts and pieces.

Outside collection points for the "Christmas Toy Box Collection" are at Orscheln's Farm & Home, Dollar General, Walmart and McCook Christian Church. Elves ask that batteries be removed from toys and games deposited in the outside boxes because they freeze and ruin the toys and games. Elves make pick-ups every evening.

Inside collection points are at McCook National Bank, First Central Bank, Eakes Office Supply and Advance Services in McCook and at Adams Bank and Trust in Indianola.

Monetary donations, used to buy batteries and bike and trike repairs, can be taken to or mailed to Ostrum at the Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska office at 108 West C Street in McCook. Batteries can also be delivered there as well.

The Toy Box giveaway is Sunday, Dec. 20, at 1 p.m., at McCook's Memorial City Auditorium, at West Fifth and C. Elves ask that shoppers do not bring bags, sacks or boxes, or baby strollers in which to carry gifts.

Because the Toy Box is supported so generously by businesses, organizations and individuals in Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas, starting this year the elves are restricting shoppers to those who live in Chase, Dundy, Hayes, Hitchcock, Frontier, Red Willow and Furnas counties in Nebraska and in Cheyenne, Rawlins and Decatur counties in Kansas. The Toy Box giveaway is open to anyone within this region with a need to make Christmas merrier for children; there are no income restrictions.

Those shopping for new toys and bikes and trikes and wagons will be asked for proof of current residency.

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  • One reason for the season is giving, just as God gave us his only Son. The McCook community is blessed by all those who give to this project and all the many other great causes to help others. Merry Christmas!

    -- Posted by dennis on Thu, Dec 10, 2015, at 8:35 AM
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