The annual Delane Drive Toy Drop once again helped ensure all children will have something under the tree this Christmas.
The holiday tradition sees all members of the Delane Drive neighborhood — including residents on Darlene, Diane and Hillcrest streets — pitch in to collect donations of toys and money to provide gifts for children in need. Once again, the entire neighborhood was lit up from end to end with holiday cheer.
Neighborhood resident Bob Binder has been involved with the event for the past 18 years and calls it a labor of love.
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Residents also received some help with collecting the donations from one specific jolly man in a red suit. That’s right, Santa Claus himself was present once again, along with Mrs. Claus and a few helpers from the North Pole.
Jolly Old St. Nick says each year he loves seeing how much the community embraces the spirit of giving.
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The Emporia tradition, now in its 35th year, has touched the lives of many area children in need each Christmas season. This includes one specific individual who received a new bike as a result of the toy drop when he was a child. For years, that individual repaid the kindness shown to him by delivering new bikes to the event for other children in need. Sadly, that individual passed away earlier this year, but his widow saw fit to continue the tradition in his memory.
This year 44 bags of toys were collected which all go to the Salvation Army. This year’s total is more than double the number of bags collected last year. In monetary donations, the drive collected over $500 for SOS, again that total tops last year’s which saw just over $400 donated. The event also collected 8 new bikes for area children this year.
Final totals from the event will be announced at a later time.
Photos by Tagan Trahoon/KVOE News
{gallery}Delane Drive Toy Drop{/gallery}
