Toys for Tots campaign hits stride, but more toys needed

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Brandi Valdez, left, New Opportunities Dallas County Family Development Center director, and Linda Andorf, Toys for Tots volunteer, started turning donations into toys Monday morning at Shopko as the Toys for Tots campaign hits its stride. The Toys for Tots drop-off collection boxes can be found at the Perry Public Library, Shopko, Ben’s Five and Dime, Dollar General, Medicap Pharmacy, Perry Perk, Farm Credit Services, Van Wall Implement, Family Credit Union, Great Western Bank, Raccoon Valley Bank and Percival Scientific.

The 2016 Toys for Tots campaign is hitting its stride this week, with collection boxes filling and cash donations converted into toys.

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New Opportunities Dallas County Family Development Center Director Brandi Valdez and Toys for Tots volunteer Linda Andorf filled their carts with Shopko toys Monday morning and will continue all week in their efforts to deliver a new toy at Christmas and to provide a message of hope to those less fortunate than us.

Toy collections will continue through Dec. 2, with toy distribution completed by Dec. 9.

New Opportunities manages the Toys for Tots program, with John and Linda Andorf of Perry serving as the local contacts for donations and distribution.

The U.S. Marine Corps will make a delivery to New Opportunities Monday, Dec. 5, and volunteers will be busy bagging up toys for the tots.

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The U.S. Marine Corps will make a delivery to New Opportunities Monday, Dec. 5, when volunteers will be busy bagging up toys for the tots.

The Marines donate many toys and games toward local needs, Valdez said, but more toys are needed in the Perry area than the Marines can provide.

Drop off collection boxes for the 2016 Toys for Tots campaign will be found at the following Perry-area businesses and public facilities:

  • Farm Credit Services of America, 105 Theater Circle
  • Perry Public Library, 1101 Willis Ave.
  • Ben’s Five and Dime, 1221 Second St.
  • Van Wall Implement, 22728 141st Drive
  • Family Credit Union, 720 First Ave.
  • Dollar General, 705 First Ave.
  • Medicap Pharmacy, 601 First Ave.
  • Shopko, 1305 141st St.
  • Perry Perk Coffeehouse, 1218 Second St.
  • Great Western Bank, 1111 141st St.
  • Raccoon Valley Bank, 1202 Second St.
  • Percival Scientific, 505 Research Drive

New Opportunities anticipates about 350 local children will be in need of toys and gifts this holiday season. New and unwrapped toys are needed for local children, from infants to 14-year-olds.

While toys are needed for younger children, monetary donations are accepted in order to purchase gift items for older children and Christmas food baskets. Monetary donations should be made out to New Opportunities.

Please consider this act of kindness, and help to make a child smile on Christmas morning. For more information or to have a monetary donation picked up, please contact John or Linda Andorf at 515-975-1604.

Toys for Tots has been in operation since 1947, when the wife of a U.S. Marine wanted to give a homemade doll to charity. Major William Hendricks could not find a charity that gave Christmas gifts to needy children, so he started his own charity. This began the national effort and the birth of Toys for Tots.

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