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Annual Toys for Tots program helps make Christmas brighter

December 2, 2021   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

Not every child will wake up on Christmas morning to find a present under the tree and stocking hanging over a fire place.

That’s why the annual Toys for Tots toy drive is so important to bring some holiday cheer to families that may need some extra help during the Christmas season.

The Toys for Tots program is a partnership between the Dufferin OPP and the Salvation Army.

This year’s drive began on Nov. 26, and will be collecting toys through to Dec. 12.

Members of the Dufferin OPP will be in the parking lot at the Orangeville Walmart on Friday’s between 6:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., and on Saturday / Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

You won’t miss them – they set up their collection station right by the exit door to make it convenient for shoppers who took the effort to purchase something extra for a child when they were in the store.

The Toys for Tots program is a police initiative that the Salvation Army supports by distributing items to local families.

Toys for Tots was run by the Orangeville Police Service for many years, and the Dufferin OPP picked up the torch when they took over local policing last year and have continued with the program.

“They [the police] have been doing it for number of years,” explained Roger Barrow, a Pastor with the Salvation Army New Hope Community Church. “To put it all in perspective, we gave out 6,000 toys last year, and that’s all in the Dufferin County area. Of that 6,000, about 80 per cent are collected by the police, and the rest comes from other donations. There are a number of businesses who collect for us as well and we will go and pick them up. We start distributing on the 13, 14, and 15th of December. For the Toys for Tots program, we would be lost without the help of the police.”

Along with unwrapped new toys, gift cards are also a welcome donation.

The gift cards are especially useful for the older kids who may be a little harder to buy for.

“We take gift cards as well and those goes a long way to help for teenagers ages 12 years old and up,” Mr. Barrow explained. “It’s hard to get toys for them so we like to give gift cards.”

There are a number of local businesses who support the program and accept donations.

Donations can also be dropped off at:

  • The Salvation Army New Hope Community Church, 690 Riddell Road
  • The Salvation Army Thrift Store, 162 Broadway 
  • Orangeville Townhall, 87 Broadway
  • LCBO, 510 Riddell Road
  • DUCA Financial Services, 16 Broadway
  • Royal LePage RCR Realty, 75 First Street
  • 7-Eleven, 288 Broadway
  • YMCA of Greater Toronto, 46 Dawson & 65 McCarthy Street
  • 10 and 10 Garden Centre, 634026 Highway 10, Mono
  • Giant Tiger Shelburne, 226 First Ave E


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