Toybox: Delivering joy, one child at a time

A native of Cape Girardeau, I am a wife, a mother to two wonderful boys (and second mom to a beautiful daughter-in-law), and soon to be grandma. After 22 years as an educator in the Cape Girardeau Public School System, I am currently employed at the Regional Professional Development Center at Southeast Missouri State University as an Instructional Consultant. Throughout my years of involvement in the Cape Jaycee Christmas Projects, fourteen years as chairperson of the Toybox Program and currently in my seventh year as chair for Christmas for the Elderly, I have seen the need for assistance for families in our community rise. In response, I have seen a community that steps up to meet those needs with support and generosity. What a blessing... I look forward to the Jaycee Christmas Projects every year and have made it a tradition in my family as a means to give back during the holidays!

Christmas Traditions: Jaycee Toybox and Christmas for the Elderly

Posted Monday, November 14, 2016, at 3:38 PM

Another Christmas season just around the corner. Shopping for loved ones, baking cookies, singing carols, and wrapping gifts are just a few of the many traditions that families have in celebration of the holiday. Throughout the community, traditions are shared among families and friends: the Parade of Lights, Downtown Christmas Open House, home tours and Black Friday Shopping are filling up calendars for the month of December. Another tradition of the Cape Girardeau Community is the Jaycee Christmas Projects. Christmas for the Elderly and the Jaycee Toybox are gearing up for another year of giving to area children and senior citizens.

Marking 41 years of generosity in the holiday spirit, the Toybox Project reaches out to families in need during the Christmas Season to collect toys and donations for children in our community. By the end of the week, area businesses will have collection stations in place for individuals to drop off new and unwrapped toys to be sorted, chosen and delivered to a little ones directly by Santa himself!

Christmas for the Elderly reaches out to senior citizens in need throughout Cape Girardeau County through gifts of clothing, bedding, cleaning supplies, toiletries, and other requests. In collaboration with the Department of Health and Senior Services, individuals are chosen based on their need and current situation. With supervising case workers, they make a list, we check it twice and in spirit of the holiday season, we share gifts from the community with our cherished elderly.

So – how do you help? Here are the facts…

Christmas for the Elderly

Gift and Monetary Donations are accepted at the Southeast Missourian from today until December 16^th (Delivery on December 18^th)

Items Needed: Bedding, towels, clothing (please watch the Southeast Missourian for specific needs and sizes), toiletries, cleaning supplies, gift cards for grocery and/or pharmacy, pet supplies

Toybox

Gift donations may be dropped off at area businesses (please see complete list found in the Southeast Missourian) between now and December 21 (Delivery on December 22^nd)

Monetary and gift donations may be dropped off at the Southeast Missourian or mailed to

Christmas Traditions: Jaycee Toybox and Christmas for the Elderly

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