In-person holiday events may have been canceled due to the pandemic, but the need for toys remains — and may perhaps be greater this year for the same reason.
Toys for Tots is taking applications and collecting toys for this year’s drive, according to organizer Shelby Moffett.
What’s missing in the mix is the Jefferson High School National Honor Society’s annual bake sale fundraisers — another casualty of COVID-19.
Last year, the NHS was able to raise $1,100 through the bake sale and collected four full boxes of toys at the school, but this year the group is relying on members asking for donations, said NHS sponsor Cathy Carey.
“I have asked the members to solicit donations from their churches or other organizations, but with restrictions on meetings and activities, I don’t know how well that will go. I also believe that the need for toy donations this year will be greater than usual, as there may be more families in financial stress,” said Carey.
In a normal year, the money raised through the fundraisers at the Madison Valley Banks in Boulder and Montana City are used to shop for toys in early December, said Carey.
Last year, “our shopping spree didn’t quite fill up the whole school Suburban, but it was close,” she said.
Also last year, two students, Ethan Smartnick and Carter McCauley, “adopted” a family and made sure their Christmas was merrier than expected by soliciting and making donations of food, gifts and more, said Carey of the students who graduated in May.
Moffett said the NHS usually brings in half of the total amount of donated toys. Other toys are collected at various drop-off locations at L&P Grocery, Hardware Hank, Mountain Good and The River in Boulder. Toys can be dropped off until Dec. 18.
Those wanting to make a monetary donation can do so by dropping it off at the high school office during business hours, or it can be mailed to either Carey or Steve McCauley at PO Box 838, Boulder, MT 59632. Checks should be written out to the National Honor Society with “Toys for Tots” in the memo line.
Parents and caregivers can obtain a Toys for Tots application at the Jefferson County Public Health Department, 214 S. Main St. in Boulder.
The office, however, is closed until Dec. 2 due to a COVID-19 exposure, so those wanting an application are asked to call 225-4007 and an application will be put in an envelope and taped to the Public Health Department’s door, according to Clinic Coordinator Molly Carey.
Applications can also be picked up at the Toys for Tots box at the L&P grocery store or by calling Moffett at 422-9713.
Those filling out an application can indicate what sort of toy their child is interested in and Toys for Tots tries to match their interests, be it Barbies, LEGOs, playdough, etc, said Moffett.
“If we need certain things, we can request them from the Helena Toys for Tots. We usually get enough donations to suffice. Things we need the most are books, stocking stuffers and items for the older kids, ages 10 to 13,” said Moffett.
