BECKLEY, WV (WOAY) – People are showing up to the Beckley Walmart bringing donations of toys and spreading some holiday cheer to children in need this Christmas.
Shade Tree Car Club partners up with Toys for Tots of Southern West Virginia for year two of their toy donation drive, bringing thousands of less fortunate children across the region toys in an effort to make their Christmas’s a little merrier.
“It’s a toy drive at Walmart of Beckley! And of course, we need toys, lots of toys,” says Jay Quesenberry, local Coordinator for Toys for Tots. “We’re right in the middle of our campaign and it’s most appreciated and most needed.”
Seeking new, unwrapped toys for deserving boys and girls, Toys for Tots remains a community staple for giving during the holiday season, last year providing around 36,000 toys to over 10,000 children, and the need for the campaign only growing.
The organization is seeing more of a demand for it this year than ever before, with some of the funding being cut and families still trying to pull out of the economic struggle during the pandemic.
“These toys represent hope, they represent that someone cares about these children, and the toys are a symbol to show that we love these kids and want to provide for them on Christmas morning,” he says.
The community is responding–people were coming out with trunk loads of toys to donate to the bins outside the car club’s trailer as the drive was just getting started for the day, along with contributing money to the cause. Not only is Shade Tree Car Club happy to be the host for the cause once again, Walmart is glad they can help out, too.
“For Shade Tree Car Club we are all about the community, we care about the children in our community, it makes us so happy and we are honored to be able to help,” Stephanie French, Vice President of Shade Tree Car Club says.
“The best part about this is my employer makes it possible for us to give to the community and make sure the kids are taken care of,” says Greg Stover, an Automotive Department Manager at Walmart.
Along with promoting the donation drive in front of Walmart, volunteers were inside accepting toys and monetary donations to the cause, as well.
The Toys for Tots campaign will run throughout December. If you missed your chance to donate at Walmart today you can donate online on the Toys for Tots website.
