At least 500 local children will receive Christmas presents thanks to a toy drive by the Salvation Army and Toys for Tots on Tuesday.
Five hundred kids were signed up ahead of time, said Lewis County Salvation Army Captain Gin Pack, and that was “before walk-ins.”
For many, the new, donated presents will be all they open this Christmas.
Parents who signed up for the gift drive arrived at the Salvation Army in Centralia and were guided through a room, filled to the brim with toys, games, clothes and books. Based on how many children they have and their kids’ desires, they’d walk away with a bag full of goodies.
“I was able to score my son some Legos,” said one mother from Centralia last year. “He’ll be so excited.”
She added it was her opportunity to provide her kids “something they’ll enjoy opening on Christmas Day.”
Learn more about Toys for Tots and its local chapters at https://www.toysfortots.org. Salvation Army Red Kettle bell-ringers are accepting donations through Christmas Eve at the Sunbird Shopping Center Avenue Espresso, Walmart, Safeway, post offices, Fuller's Shop’n Kart and Brenda's Market in Onalaska.
Donations to the Salvation Army can be made year-round at https://centralia.salvationarmy.org.
