A surge in demand, a stellar success, Toys for Tots
Mitzi Carpenter puts toys out for families last week for the annual Toys for Tots program. The Party Store donated its warehouse space for the program. (Chris Peterson photo)
Dressed in an elf outfit, Mitzi Carpenter was busy unpacking and moving around toys Friday morning.
“It’s the funnest job in the world,” she said, overlooking a veritable sea of toys. “The people are the nicest people to work with.”
Carpenter, along with a host of other volunteers, were donating their time for the Toys for Tots program. With the coronavirus crisis, the demand for toys for youngsters was at an unprecedented high this holiday season, said coordinator Kelly Hamilton of Columbia Falls.
As of Monday, the program had collected or bought 18,000 toys this season, helping brighten Christmas for about 2,050 county youths.
It had a bit of a rocky start.
The program had to split from the Salvation Army this year due to coronavirus concerns.
It first needed to find a new home to store toys.
The Party Store owner Dennis Johnson heard a plea for space go out on the radio and he contacted Hamilton.
Johnson donated about 9,000 square feet of his warehouse to store the toys.
“It’s our slow time of the year,” he said with a smile, so it was fairly easy to make space.
The program gathers toys for almost all age groups, having added 13 to 16 year olds this year, Hamilton said.
Parents then pick out toys for their children before Christmas.
A radiothon by Bee Broadcasting brought in thousands of donations, including more than $24,000 in cash that was spent at locally-owned toy stores.
A host of local businesses also donated to the program.
It was all needed as demand was much higher due to coronavirus impacts. Last year, about 800 kids were served from 300 families. This year that number was more than 800 families.
Kudos went out to Hamilton, who is also a member of the Columbia Falls Lions Club.
“Kelly did a most spectacular job,” Carpenter said.