Opportunities still available for toy donations
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald Sandi Casebolt of the Moses Lake Food Bank sorts toys donated for Operation Friendship, the food bank’s annual toy distribution. Toy donation opportunities will continue through the middle of next week.
MOSES LAKE — With Christmas less than two weeks away, people still have opportunities to donate toys to underprivileged families.
The Salvation Army office in Moses Lake is sponsoring its annual Giving Tree campaign, with donations being accepted through Dec. 19. Trees are set up around town, including Moses Lake City Hall and Washington Federal.
Each tree has tags listing the age and gender of a child, and participants are asked to take the tags, buy a present for the child and return it to the tree. Gifts should be unwrapped. Traditionally the parents go shopping among the toys, and volunteers wrap the presents.
Donations will be accepted at the Salvation Army office through Dec. 19. The office is located at 212 W. Alder St. and is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Salvation Army officials said any toys that are left over are stored for next Christmas. Distribution is scheduled for Dec. 20.
The Salvation Army also takes money donations, both through its annual bell-ringing campaign and donations made at its office.
Operation Friendship, the toy distribution at the Moses Lake Food Bank, will be tomorrow. But toy distribution continues all next week, for any toys that are donated after Saturday or are left over after Saturday, said food bank director Peny Archer.
The food bank is open from 11 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and any remaining toys will be distributed through closing time Thursday, Archer said.
The food bank focuses on toys for children up to 12 years of age, although items appropriate for teenagers will be distributed to families with teens. Donations should be new toys, $10 to $20 in value, and should be unwrapped. Both suggestions are prompted by past experiences, Archer said that in the past people have donated inappropriate items, and sometimes broken toys, that have to be weeded out before distribution. In addition, parents and organizers have to make sure the toy will work for the child’s age and gender, and will fit with any disabilities.
The $10 to $15 suggestion comes from the idea that it’s better to have a lot of relatively inexpensive toys, rather than fewer relatively more expensive toys, Archer said.
Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.