Volunteers with the Perry Toys for Tots program were as busy as Santa’s elves Monday morning, bagging up bundles of comfort and joy at the Perry Elks Lodge for our needy local children.
John and Linda Andorf of Perry are the longtime local organizers of the Toys for Tots program, partnering each year with the U.S. Marine Corps to bring toys and games to Perry-area children. The Andorfs were assisted Monday in their labor of love by Lisa Battani, Heather Hoyme, Betty Hunt, Bob Hunt, Dennis Ulrich, Sharon Ulrich, Tara Myers and Chris Myers.
Seven volunteers from the Perry Community School District — MacKenzie Kilts, Amy Diaz, Seth Borgeson, Geren Kenney, Hunter Sieser, Lily Myers and Jonathan Armenta — also helped Sunday to separate the myriad toys into age-appropriate and gender-appropriate groups before they were bagged for distribution.
Some 350 children from about 125 families will receive toys through this year’s program, John Andorf said, down from last year’s 400 kids. Some last-minute applications are still pending at New Opportunities, which manages the process, he said.
“The Perry community was extremely generous again this year as we always are,” he said, noting several local businesses and individuals who gave large donations and said their generosity is greatly appreciated.
Toys for Tots provides new toys for local children, from infants to 14-year-olds. While toys please the younger children, monetary donations are also accepted in order to purchase gift items for older children.
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. Thus began the national effort and the birth of Toys for Tots.