Toy Drives Underway To Brighten

Holidays For Needy Children

By Andrew Gorosko

Newtown police, among others, are conducting their annual Toys For Tots collection to benefit needy children during the holiday season.

The Toys For Tots program is sponsored by the US Marine Corps Reserve. The last day to drop off toys for a Christmas distribution would be December 19. Toys dropped off after that date would be distributed for Kwanzaa.

Police have a toy collection bin located in the police station lobby at 3 Main Street, where they accepting new, unwrapped toys from the public. Donations may be made there around the clock, seven days a week.

Also, on Saturday, December 8, police will be collecting donations of new, unwrapped toys from 10 am to 2 pm in front of KB Toys in Sand Hill Plaza at 228 South Main Street. In that effort, residents donate toys that they have purchased at the toy store.

The KB Toys store also is a drop-off point for people who want to donate Toys For Tots. New, unwrapped toys may be left at a collection point in the store during business hours. The store is open from 9:30 am to 9 pm Mondays through Saturdays, and from 10 am to 6 pm on Sundays.

Also, Toys For Tots are being accepted from the public at Prudential Connecticut Realty at 33 Church Hill Road. The realty office is open from 9 am to 5 pm daily.

Another Toys For Tots drop-off point is the United Studios of Self Defense at 14 Church Hill Road. The business hours there are from noon to 9 pm Monday through Thursday, from 2 to 6 pm Friday, and from 9 am to noon Saturday.

Katherine’s Kitchen, at 102 Church Hill Road, is collecting Toys For Tots until December 18. Hours there are Monday through Friday from 6 am until 6 pm, and Saturday from 6 am until 3 pm.

Also, Toys For Tots may be dropped off at The Fitness Loft at 3 Simm Lane. The business is open from 6 am to 9 pm Mondays through Thursdays, from 6 am to 7 pm on Fridays, from 7 am to 5 pm on Saturdays, and from 8 am to 3 pm on Sundays.

Another location for Toys For Tots is Cold Stone Creamery at 255 South Main Street. The ice cream store is open from noon to 9 pm on Mondays through Thursdays, from noon to 11 pm on Fridays, from 11 am to 11 pm on Saturdays, and from 11 am to 9 pm on Sundays.

State police at the Troop A Barracks in Southbury are holding their annual Christmas toy drive to brighten the holiday season for needy children.

State police are accepting donations of new, unwrapped toys for children at the barracks, which is at 90 Lakeside Road, which is off Exit 14 of Interstate 84. That toy drive is not affiliated with Toys For Tots.

Sergeant Dan Semosky said that donors may drop off toys in the barracks lobby around the clock, seven days a week.

Also, if donors have a large number of toys to give to the collection project, state police would pick up those toys as a convenience, he said. The state police telephone number is 267-2200.

The toys that state police receive in the toy drive will be distributed to needy children within the state, he said.