Toys for Tots Completes Busy Season

Delivery Day for Toys for Tots at the Lamar Middle School

The Lamar Middle School Cafeteria was fairly quiet and empty around 11am on December 24.  Those who volunteered to deliver gifts throughout the county had either completed their rounds, or were still on the road.  “We had from 30 to 40 people show up to help us out today,” said Darlene Lopez, organizer of the annual Toys for Tots project for the past several years.  Several volunteers lingered on, helping with the clean-up and coordinating and matching volunteers to their delivery route, the gifts they would take, either in boxes, 30 gallon trash bags or just hand delivered at the front door. 

Lopez with volunteers from Prowers Sheriff’s Posse, Terry Comer (L) and Karl Neidens (R)

 Lopez remarked that the year was fairly typical of the past ones she has organized and coordinated.  “This year we got requests for presents from 314 families and 723 kids.  We came close to reaching our goal for dollar donations, especially for the hams we give out,” she explained.  Years ago, a complete holiday dinner went with the gift deliveries, but that practice ended a while back, now full or half hams are distributed or gift certificates for local stores. 

Lopez said she’s going to take a break and then will give thought to next year’s campaign which usually kicks off in November.  “Everybody who contributed did so much to make this come to pass,” Lopez said, “they just need to know how important their donations and generosity are to the less fortunate in our community.  I want to make sure they know their efforts are appreciated.”  Towards the end of the morning, a volunteer rolled in a pink, mid-sized girl’s bike.  “Someone just dropped this off,” they said.  Lopez said to just sit it off to the side and it’ll go into next year’s delivery route.  She added that if anyone wants to, they can offer a donation anytime at her place of business, Paul’s Body Shop, just across from KLMR on the Highway 50 curve.

By Russ Baldwin