Toys for Tots kicks off 2018 drive for Perry-area children

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John Andorf, left, and Linda Andorf are the local organizers of the 2018 Toys for Tots program in the Perry area. Collection boxes can be found at 10 spots around town. The program brings new toys to children of low-income families.

Perry-area tots need toys.

Perry-area tots need toys. Collections will continue through the first week of December.The 2018 Toys for Tots campaign kicked off its annual collection drive last week, with drop off boxes found at 10 spots around Perry.

The Toys for Tots program began in 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. So began the national effort and the birth of Toys for Tots.

The goal of Toys for Tots is to deliver new toys at Christmastime and to provide a message of hope to those less fortunate than us.

Toy collections will continue through the first week of December, with toy distribution planned for Dec. 7, according to longtime Toys for Tots organizers John and Linda Andorf of Perry.

“Perry people show their generosity every year with this program,” John Andorf said, “and we know this year will be no exception. This program brings joy to some of our neediest families, who otherwise have few Christmas joys. It has really become a community-wide event.”

The Andorfs are the local contacts for donations and distribution, and Crossroads Church at 2810 First Ave. serves as the pickup spot for families.

The U.S. Marine Corps, which donates many toys and games toward local needs each year, will make their delivery Dec. 3, and Dec. 4-5 will be spent bagging the goodies for distribution.

“We do a lot of double checking and rearranging on Dec. 6,” Linda Andorf said, “to make sure we get as many kids the toys they asked for as we can.” Dinosaurs remain a perennial favorite, she said.

Drop off collection boxes for the 2018 Toys for Tots campaign will be found at the following Perry-area businesses and public facilities:

  • Perry Public Library, 1101 Willis Ave.
  • Perry City Hall, 1102 Willis Ave.
  • Ben’s Five and Dime, 1221 Second St.
  • Van Wall Implement, 22728 141st Drive
  • Dollar General, 705 First Ave.
  • Medicap Pharmacy, 601 First Ave.
  • Shopko, 1305 141st St.
  • Perry Perk Coffeehouse, 1218 Second St.
  • Percival Scientific, 505 Research Drive
  • Orscheln Farm and Home, 401 First Ave.

“In addition to the collection boxes,” Andorf said, “Fareway and Hy-Vee are asking store customers to round up their purchases to the next dollar to support toys and holiday food baskets.”

The Holiday Round Up at Fareway runs Nov. 12-21 and at Hy-Vee Nov. 19-25. New Opportunities anticipates about 400 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 the 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.

The Toys for Tots drop-off collection box in the Perry Public Library is matched by nine others: Perry City Hall, Shopko, Ben’s Five and Dime, Dollar General, Medicap Pharmacy, Perry Perk coffeehouse, Farm Credit Services, Van Wall Implement, Orscheln’s and Percival Scientific.

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