Number of ways volunteers can help
The Toys for Tots team that typically provides presents for more than 1,000 local children each Christmas is gearing up for its 2019 toy drive and distribution campaign.
The campaign led by the local U.S. Marine Corps League chapter has a new distribution center where donated toys can be dropped off.
“The Ellijay Marine Toys For Tots Distribution Center will be located at 547 Maddox Drive,” said retired Marine Corps Sgt, A.J. LeCompte, the local toy drive’s coordinator.
The distribution center is in the former location of Smitty’s Engraving located next door to the Muncy’s Truck dealership, he added.
Depends on community
The local Toys for Tots campaign depends on donations of funds, toys and manpower.
A rotating team of volunteers pitches in to wrap toys and do other tasks. Local Marines join with church groups, high school students, local civic organizations and others to make the charitable effort possible, LeCompte said.
“We’re all volunteers and no one that helps with this campaign gets paid. This program belongs to the community, not to me or the Marines. Basically, what a community puts into it is what they get out of it. We don’t get government funds. If we didn’t get grants from businesses and money from people in Gilmer County, we wouldn’t be able to buy toys for these kids,” LeCompte told attendees at a recent workshop meeting held by Gilmer Family Connection.
“(We started) collecting toys Oct. 1 this year and plan to have several events to raise awareness of the community on the need for their help,” he added.
Families must first apply, then be approved, to receive toys. LeCompte said applications can be submitted between Oct. 21 and Dec. 12 at the Gilmer Department of Family and Children’s Services, 222 Highland Crossing South; Faith Hope and Charity Recycle Store, 449 Industrial Boulevard, at the Maddox Drive distribution center and Wednesdays between 8 a.m. and noon at the Gilmer Community Food Pantry, 5273 Highway 52 East. Volunteers who wish to donate their time and effort to gift-wrap toys can do so at the distribution center Wednesday to Saturday through December.
“You can come and help from one hour to as long as you want starting the week of Oct. 30 up to the last week of Dec 11. We need volunteers to wrap toys from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.,” said LeCompte.
Because Toys for Tots is one of several Christmas toy distribution efforts in the county, approved applicants are logged by the software program Charity Tracker.
“We work with the Lions Club and Gilmer Family Connection to make sure each of our organizations helps different families and children in our county,” LeCompte confirmed.
The campaign’s impact is a big one, with 1,179 Gilmer children receiving Toys for Tots gifts last Christmas alone.
“Each child got four gift-wrapped toys and six stocking stuffers. The Gilmer County community gift-wrapped 4,636 toys, gave out 6,253 stocking stuffers and 100 books,” LeCompte reported after last year’s toy drive ended.
None of that, he emphasized, could be done without participation and interest from the local community, which includes not only donating new, unwrapped toys and money, but also wrapping paper, tape and other supplies.
“Wrapping paper, gift tags, Scotch tape and the large plastic bags we put toys in for people to come pick them up are donated by businesses and individuals in the community. I go around to different places and try to get that. If you have any wrapping paper, tape or tags to donate, we definitely need that,” LeCompte said.
“(Last year), the Gilmer High School BETA, math and robotics clubs arrived after school one day a week for five weeks to assist with stocking shelves and gift wrapping toys.”
Toy donation boxes, money donation jars and train trees, from which persons can remove tags and purchase toys for children of a particular age or gender, have already been put up at a number of local businesses and agencies.
A list of toy drop-off boxes is attached to this article. A complete list of participating sites can be found online at Ellijay-ga.ToysForTots.org.
Fundraising raffle
Last November, LeCompte reported that his entire budget of donated grant funds had already been depleted and there were “very few toys in our boxes” at the time.
To help prevent another shortfall, a raffle is being conducted as a fundraiser for this year’s toy drive. Proceeds from the $2 each or three for $5 ticket sales will be used to buy toys at wholesale cost.
“Any money donated in Gilmer County has to stay in Gilmer County and 97 cents out of every dollar has to be spent on toys for the kids. We get toys wholesale, because we are national, so I can buy a toy for a third to half of what it would cost on the retail level,” he noted.
“Nobody usually thinks about giving toys till after Thanksgiving, but if we wait till then we wouldn’t be able to take care of all the kids we help each year.”
Raffle prizes will be gift baskets filled with items donated by local businesses.
“We will be at several venues selling tickets,” said LeCompte.
“They include, but are not limited to: Apple Arts on the Square in downtown Ellijay Oct. 12-13 and 19-20, the Veterans Appreciation Dinner hosted by the Gilmer Rotary Club at First Baptist Fellowship Hall Thursday, Nov. 7; the Veterans Day breakfast at First United Methodist Church Monday, Nov. 11, and the Light Up Ellijay Christmas event on the downtown square Friday, Nov. 29.”