NORWICH – Giving others, especially children, hope on Christmas is one of the greatest gifts of all, says Bainbridge resident Roger Barnhart, adding that sometimes it only takes a simple gesture of kindness.
Barnhart, the postmaster of the South New Berlin post office, and employees from The Label Gallery in Norwich, are gathering and distributing new toys as part of Chenango County’s “Toys for Tots” campaign.
“There are needy kids out there in our communities that may feel like nobody cares. They may feel like they are forgotten,”“ he said. “Hope is a big thing. It’s important we let those kids and their families know they are not forgotten.”
Area residents are encouraged to drop-off new, unwrapped toys Saturday afternoon at two local events: The “Challenge of the Vans” in the City of Norwich’s East Park and the arrival of the U.S. Marine Corps’ “Toy Train” in the Village of Bainbridge center.
In Norwich, four local car dealers have each entered a mini-vans into the challenge to see which one can hold the most donated toys. Aside from the van challenge, there will also be music and other festivities in the park from noon until 4 p.m.
“Chris (Ulatowski, owner of Label Gallery) thought of this event with the idea of getting the community more involved, more aware,” said Dennis Rifanburg, a Toys for Tots volunteer and Label Gallery employee.
At noon in Bainbridge, U.S. Marines will be unloading donated toys to go to the local drive and special guest Santa Claus plans to step-off the box car for a few minutes to meet with children on what will be a whistle-stop tour of the state.
“This really is a special event,” said Barnhart, referring the grandiose and almost “magical” arrival of the holiday toy train. “It brings back a lot of great Christmas memories and feelings from childhood. When it pulls up and Santa steps off, to see everyone so excited – it makes the hair on your neck stand-up.”
For those who can’t attend the weekend events, new and unwrapped toys can be dropped off until Dec.15 at one the many sites throughout the county.
The campaign will also be taking can and bottle donations Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at Kelly’s Kans on 6067 East River Road between Cummings Auto Machine and the Chenango Drug and Alcohol building in Norwich. The money raised will go toward purchasing new toys as needed.
Last year’s drive found toys for over 1,600 kids in Chenango County.
“Every child in this community should have a chance to enjoy the holiday,” said Rifanburg. “Every child should have a toy on Christmas.”
Families in need of toys can sign-up anytime from now until Dec. 15 by contacting “Roots and Wings” at 336-7897.
Toy donations can be left anytime at The Label Gallery, 1-11 Lee Avenue, Norwich.
The campaign collected 82 toys at Norwich’s “Parade of Lights” and 450 more were donated recently by “Toys R Us.”
Here’s a complete list of all the drop-off site in Chenango County: In Afton; the Village Variety. In Bainbridge; Bainbridge Pharmacy, NBT, Sidney Federal Credit Union. In Norwich; Curtis Lumber, Curves, Dollar General, Dollar Tree, First Edition Book Store, Frontier, GHS Credit Union, Ives Cream Parlor, Mang Insurance, Mirabito Fuel Group, Manpower, NBT, P&C, Pennysaver, SUNY Morrisville, Valley View Manor, Wal-Mart, and Wilber National Bank. In Oxford; New York State Veterans Home.
Donations can also be made at all police departments throughout the county.
For more information, visit www.toysfortots.org. or contact Roger Barnhart at 967-5057.
The campaign was started by the United States Marine Corps Reservists in 1947 to ensure that needy children had presents at Christmas.
This is the first year Chenango County has had its own campaign.