Nina’s Pizzeria and Colonia Theater holding Toys for Tots event
The annual Toys for Tots event organized by Nina’s Pizzeria and hosted at the Colonia Theater is estimated to bring in hundreds to thousands of toys for children in need. In 2019, the event raised approximately $7,000 in toy, sponsored, and monetary donations, and drew over 250 guests. (ES File Photo)
NORWICH — Local eatery Nina’s Pizzeria is holding their annual Toys for Tots dinner and a movie event at the Colonia Theater this year, on Saturday, December 4. Dinner runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and a screening of Jim Carrey’s “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” will play at 2 p.m.
Admittance to the dinner is $7, as well as a toy donation. This year’s meal includes baked ziti, meatballs, and drinks provided by Nina’s, and will be held in the upstairs event area in the Colonia Theater.
“The movie would be downstairs in Theater One, and the dinner is upstairs,” said Colonia Theater owner Rich Barnes. “It’s for the community ... any time we can help without it causing too much conflict in our, you know, with our regular movies, we kind of do that.”
“Come down and enjoy it,” he added. “The fact that we have that air purifying system in the theater makes us feel more comfortable, and hopefully makes the patrons feel comfortable, too.”
Several local businesses will also be donating goods to support the program, according to Nina’s employee Heather McShane, who helps organize the event.
“Live Events is donating their music, Cottage Bakery this year is donating desserts, Deja Brew is donating coffee, and then the Country Club is donating candy canes for the kids to take as a take-away,” said McShane. “We try to include as many local businesses as possible. Norwich Beverage donated the sodas to give to the guests, and someone is donating milk.”
There will also be gift baskets of wine and chocolates raffled off during the event.
“We are going to put together some raffles this year. Our wine company donated some wine, so we’re going to do some wine baskets and raffles for parents to be able to win something. You know, just to give back, also,” said McShane.
She added that Minty’s Candies and Treats will be donating chocolates for the baskets. They will also be parking their converted school bus in front of the theater to collect the toys, and later bring them to Saint Bart's Parish Hall for distribution.
“We have a 40-foot school bus that we converted into a motorhome, and we park that out in front of the Colonia Theater, and people can drop their toys out there or bring them inside,” said Norwich Business Improvement District (BID) Executive Director Tracey Chawgo. “And then we deliver the toys right in the bus over to, I believe they’re going over to the church again this year, to take them to the Toys for Tots spot so they can be distributed.”
The toys collected during the event are distributed to children throughout the county, from newborns to 12 year-olds, according to Terry Potter, the Toys for Tots Coordinator for Chenango, Delaware, and Otsego Counties.
“There’s certain guidelines that we follow that are set for us by the national organization for an eligible child, and that’s ages from, you know, from newborn up to twelve,” he said. “The families will call and our volunteers will enroll them. And each year depending on the amount of donations that we get, we probably give each child at least a couple [toys]. Like, at least two larger toys, and then we have stocking stuffers.”
McShane said that Nina’s employee Lon Yerton first thought of holding a dinner to benefit Toys for Tots several years ago, and made it happen.
“Lon wanted to do it, and got all the things in order, and then it’s just, every year we just try to add more and more businesses. Just try to keep it local,” she explained.
The event has only grown from there, and is estimated to draw in hundreds to thousands of toys for kids in need each year.
“It’s the generosity of people like Dave [Shull], and Lon, and Heather that make an event like this happen, for one, but also to be successful. They’ve been a huge supporter and they bring in, you know, hundreds of toys, if not thousands of toys each year,” said Potter. “We are greatly appreciative of that, and the people from the community bringing in toys. It’s turned into one of the biggest events that we put on locally for Chenango County.”
Those wishing to donate but can’t make the event can also drop off toys in collection boxes located at Nina’s Pizzeria, NBT Bank, Community Bank, Teaser’s Hair and Nail Studio, Deja Brew, Matthew’s Ford, Pizza Hut, Minty’s Candies and Treats, AT&T, and Creative Works.
Families who would like to register to receive items through Toys for Tots can do so by calling 607-952-0653.
“It’s a hard year for people, so we want to get as many toys bought and out for Toys for Tots as possible,” said McShane. “It’s a great program, [it] definitely is.”
Admittance to the dinner is $7, as well as a toy donation. This year’s meal includes baked ziti, meatballs, and drinks provided by Nina’s, and will be held in the upstairs event area in the Colonia Theater.
“The movie would be downstairs in Theater One, and the dinner is upstairs,” said Colonia Theater owner Rich Barnes. “It’s for the community ... any time we can help without it causing too much conflict in our, you know, with our regular movies, we kind of do that.”
“Come down and enjoy it,” he added. “The fact that we have that air purifying system in the theater makes us feel more comfortable, and hopefully makes the patrons feel comfortable, too.”
Several local businesses will also be donating goods to support the program, according to Nina’s employee Heather McShane, who helps organize the event.
“Live Events is donating their music, Cottage Bakery this year is donating desserts, Deja Brew is donating coffee, and then the Country Club is donating candy canes for the kids to take as a take-away,” said McShane. “We try to include as many local businesses as possible. Norwich Beverage donated the sodas to give to the guests, and someone is donating milk.”
There will also be gift baskets of wine and chocolates raffled off during the event.
“We are going to put together some raffles this year. Our wine company donated some wine, so we’re going to do some wine baskets and raffles for parents to be able to win something. You know, just to give back, also,” said McShane.
She added that Minty’s Candies and Treats will be donating chocolates for the baskets. They will also be parking their converted school bus in front of the theater to collect the toys, and later bring them to Saint Bart's Parish Hall for distribution.
“We have a 40-foot school bus that we converted into a motorhome, and we park that out in front of the Colonia Theater, and people can drop their toys out there or bring them inside,” said Norwich Business Improvement District (BID) Executive Director Tracey Chawgo. “And then we deliver the toys right in the bus over to, I believe they’re going over to the church again this year, to take them to the Toys for Tots spot so they can be distributed.”
The toys collected during the event are distributed to children throughout the county, from newborns to 12 year-olds, according to Terry Potter, the Toys for Tots Coordinator for Chenango, Delaware, and Otsego Counties.
“There’s certain guidelines that we follow that are set for us by the national organization for an eligible child, and that’s ages from, you know, from newborn up to twelve,” he said. “The families will call and our volunteers will enroll them. And each year depending on the amount of donations that we get, we probably give each child at least a couple [toys]. Like, at least two larger toys, and then we have stocking stuffers.”
McShane said that Nina’s employee Lon Yerton first thought of holding a dinner to benefit Toys for Tots several years ago, and made it happen.
“Lon wanted to do it, and got all the things in order, and then it’s just, every year we just try to add more and more businesses. Just try to keep it local,” she explained.
The event has only grown from there, and is estimated to draw in hundreds to thousands of toys for kids in need each year.
“It’s the generosity of people like Dave [Shull], and Lon, and Heather that make an event like this happen, for one, but also to be successful. They’ve been a huge supporter and they bring in, you know, hundreds of toys, if not thousands of toys each year,” said Potter. “We are greatly appreciative of that, and the people from the community bringing in toys. It’s turned into one of the biggest events that we put on locally for Chenango County.”
Those wishing to donate but can’t make the event can also drop off toys in collection boxes located at Nina’s Pizzeria, NBT Bank, Community Bank, Teaser’s Hair and Nail Studio, Deja Brew, Matthew’s Ford, Pizza Hut, Minty’s Candies and Treats, AT&T, and Creative Works.
Families who would like to register to receive items through Toys for Tots can do so by calling 607-952-0653.
“It’s a hard year for people, so we want to get as many toys bought and out for Toys for Tots as possible,” said McShane. “It’s a great program, [it] definitely is.”
dived wound factual legitimately delightful goodness fit rat some lopsidedly far when.
Slung alongside jeepers hypnotic legitimately some iguana this agreeably triumphant pointedly far
jeepers unscrupulous anteater attentive noiseless put less greyhound prior stiff ferret unbearably cracked oh.
So sparing more goose caribou wailed went conveniently burned the the the and that save that adroit gosh and sparing armadillo grew some overtook that magnificently that
Circuitous gull and messily squirrel on that banally assenting nobly some much rakishly goodness that the darn abject hello left because unaccountably spluttered unlike a aurally since contritely thanks