Toys for Tots Countdown to Christmas

Troopers with Toy Filled Cruisers at Lamar Walmart

While Darlene Lopez gets 40 names for assistance in one day for the Toys for Tots campaign for Prowers County, she’s also throwing away trash.  “I have filled 13 dumpsters with ‘donations’ that are just trash!” she said earlier this week.  “If these items are something that your own child wouldn’t use, why would you donate them to Toys for Tots for other children?” she asked.  Donations should be either brand new, unwrapped toys, or at least toys that are still serviceable, clean, and can be used by area children. 

Lopez is looking at the calendar and recent donations and feeling the urgency of time and needed funds.  “We received $900 from the recent radiothon at KVAY and an earlier one at KLMR brought in $950, but we are short of where we want to be at this point,” she added.  Lopez, who heads the annual Toys for Tots drive said the Colorado State Patrol’s, ‘Fill the Cruiser with Toy’s event at Walmart this past Friday went well.  “We had to open the windows of the cruisers to get the toys out of the vehicles and each toy was brand new,” Lopez said. 

The list of families in need this year is now up to 180 and Lopez said more will be coming in now that we’re in December and just three weeks from Christmas.  “Last year we had almost 400 people on the list and I know we’ll come close to that this year, too,” she remarked.  Volunteers and cash donations top her list of priority needs. 

Volunteers can help out with the stacking and packing of toy donations at the County Annex starting at 1pm Saturday, December 14.  All the items are moved to the Lamar Middle School on December 21, beginning at 1pm.  “Anyone who can spare some time and has a trailer or pick-up truck is really needed that afternoon,” she said.  The packages are moved from the annex to the school once the holiday break is underway and the gifts are coordinated for future drivers on the day before Christmas.  “Our last big need will be that day,” Lopez said, adding, “We’ll need volunteer drivers as early at 9:30 that morning so we can have all the deliveries wrapped up by the afternoon and our helpers can spend that time with their families.”   

Lopez said the Lamar Elks Lodge will hold an early bird bingo evening on Thursday, December 12, starting at 6:30pm and a donation box for gift toys will be set out at the lodge with hopes that it will be filled by the end of the evening.  Call Lopez for additional information at 719-688-0167.

By Russ Baldwin