Annual Christmas for Kids toy drive to begin Monday

Source: The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.儲存Nov. 14--WINDBER -- A group of spirited elves dressed in blue are determined to make Christmas bright for needy families in the Windber area.Paint Township police are gearing up for their 14th annual Christmas for Kids toydrive.With Windber ending its police contract with Paint to restart its own police force, township police were uncertain if they would hold this year's toy drive."In light of everything that is going on as far as reorganizing the police department ..." police Chief Richard Skiles said."But we just said, 'You know what, we're going to make it happen.' "Police are collecting new, unwrapped toys for youngsters from newborns up to age 18.Toys for infants and children up to age 2 and ages 11 to 18 are especially needed.Officers and volunteers will wrap the gifts and give them away to children at a Christmas party scheduled Dec. 18 at the Windber Community Building on Graham Avenue.Police will mail postcards to families in the Windber Area School District inviting t迷你倉em to the party.Volunteers are also needed to help wrap the toys.The names of needy youngsters are being gathered from churches and civic organizations.The toy drive began in 2000 which then-Mayor Ben Bonitz thought the police department would benefit from some public relations work.The event has become part of the force's outreach to the community and has provided a merry Christmas for thousands of area families.Last year, 200 families and 300 children benefited from the program, Skiles said.Donations of toys and cash are being accepted from8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday until Dec. 13 at the police department, 1741 Basin Drive in Windber.No stuffed animals will be accepted.For more information, call police at 467-8383 or 467-8444.Patrick Buchnowski is a reporter with The Tribune-Democrat. Follow him on twitter.com/PatBuchnowskiTD.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 The Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown, Pa.) Visit The Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown, Pa.) at .tribune-democrat.com Distributed by MCT Information Services儲存倉