Holiday toy drive begins

Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Hardyston kicked off its annual toy drive Saturday, Oct. 14.

The collection of donated new, unwrapped toys will continue into December.

The drive has received close to 3,000 toys in recent years for children in Franklin, Ogdensburg, Hamburg, Hardyston and Vernon.

Last year, older teens were included for the first time.

Organizers of the toy drive, which covers ages infant to 17, work with school nurses to determine who will receive the toys and with local police, who deliver them to the schools or to individual homes.

Robert Winter, a church trustee and chairman of the toy drive, said, “All the Police Departments come here with their lists and they pick up what they need.”

Last year, toys also went to about 50 families who are customers of Grace’s Pantry, he said. The food pantry at the Franklin Senior Center is a project of Prince of Peace, Hamburg Baptist, Franklin Presbyterian, Ogdensburg Presbyterian and Lafayette Reformed Baptist churches.

In addition, the toy drive supplies toys for children who attend a holiday party for disabled veterans and their families that is hosted by the Sussex Elks Club.

A few families stop by the church to ask for toys each year, Winter said. “We don’t turn anybody away.”

The toys are donated by residents from throughout the area, he said. “We had a neighborhood that did a toy drive challenge” in Byram.

Monetary donations are welcome and are used to purchase needed toys, he said.

School nurses are starting to compile the lists of recipients, Winter said. “They told me now, be prepared” for increased need this year.

The Rev. John Babbitts Jr., who became pastor of Prince of Peace in January, said it’s important for the church to be involved in the needs of the community.

”We’re trying to show the love that God showed us to others.”