Items gathered all year to give to Hocking poor
SOUTH PERRY — For Kay Burns and the other volunteers who work year-round collecting toys and clothing for poor families in the Hocking County area, the holiday season begins the second weekend in December.
“For me, it’s not really the Christmas season until our giveaway,” Burns said. “That’s what starts it for me.”
This year’s toy and clothing giveaway, held this past weekend at South Perry United Methodist Church and its outreach ministry next door, the Sparrow
House, distributed 804 gift packages, plus clothing, to parents and grandparents in need.
The work of collecting donated toys and clothing, both new and gently used, goes on all year. Burns and the other volunteers already are at work keeping the shelves stocked for next year’s holiday toy drive.
The effort to provide Christmas gifts to children in the impoverished area of Appalachian Ohio began in 2011, when someone donated a crate of Barbie dolls to the church and asked Burns to find homes for them.
The volunteers started collecting other toys to mount a holiday drive. The Dispatch published a story about the toy drive, including the donated toys that were headed south to Hocking County from the families of Tremont Elementary School in Upper Arlington, where Darlene Adams, Burns’ sister, lives.
The story touched the hearts of other central Ohio residents, who began donating toys and clothing, and the program has grown from there.
Dependable donors include a couple of Columbus retirees who shop yard sales year-round to pick up gently used clothing and toys, and a Pickerington woman who loves to shop and this year delivered 57 new coats.
“Every year, the amount of new items has been on the increase,” said volunteer Jim Stevens.
“And if it’s not new, we make it like new,” volunteer Beverly Karr said.
Seamstress Mary Moore is the designated doll lady, tidying mussed hair and sewing new outfits for dolls that need a fresh look.
God’s Child Gift Shop inside the Sparrow House (the church-owned building is named for a Bible verse) resembles a commercial toy store, its shelves labeled by age range and gender and stocked with items for newborns to teenagers.
Teenagers are the toughest ones to choose gifts for, but the volunteers have learned that basketballs, footballs and apparel labeled with Ohio State University and Ohio University teams or professional sports teams make good gifts for boys. Cologne, watches, make-up, costume jewelry, hair dryers and nail polish are can’t-miss gifts for girls, Burns said.
On the giveaway weekend, parents and grandparents shop first at the church for children’s clothing before stepping into the gift shop to look for toys.
This year, the shoppers included a grandfather on a fixed income who told Burns he couldn’t afford gifts for his 15 grandchildren without the toy drive. Karr helped a grandmother choose toys for the five grandchildren she is raising at her home, where space is so tight that the kids must sleep in makeshift beds on the floor.
The volunteers said they feel humbled and grateful to be able to help the families put on a good Christmas for their children. The families don’t want much.
“They’re not asking for Game Boys,” Stevens said. “They’re just wanting basics.” Dec. 19 p.m. Lydia/
Ashley/ boy, Dec. 15
Tiffany/ boy, Dec. 18 Kirstynn/ Colton: girl, Dec. 16 Hunter/ Andrew: boy, Dec. 17 Taniqua/ boy, Dec. 17 Justin: girl, Franklin: Vincent: Greg:
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