Please help Toybox, Christmas for the Elderly

So far during this holiday season, many individuals and groups have shown just how generous they can be.

Area Wide United Way recently announced it has topped its fund-raising goal for the year.

Contributors more than exceeded a goal to pay for a trained companion dog for young Josh Ghiz, whose story has touched thousands of people around the world.

And when $1,500 had to be raised in one day to pay the postage to send Shoeboxes for Soldiers, the community overwhelmingly gave $9,000.

Now there is another urgent appeal for contributions to help the needy.

Both the annual Toybox and Christmas for the Elderly programs are nearing deadlines for making deliveries of toys and other gifts, but there aren't enough items to fill all of this year's requests.

The Toybox program has more than 500 requests from children up to 12 years old who are likely going to have a bleak Christmas unless more donations arrive.

Toybox is a project of the Cape Girardeau Jaycees and the Southeast Missourian.

Christmas for the Elderly provides needed items as well as gifts for older residents in the community. It is sponsored by the Jaycees, the Missouri Division of Health and Senior Services and the Cape Girardeau County Health Department.

New toys for children may be dropped off at the Southeast Missourian, AAA Travel, Alliance Bank, Bank of America, Bank of Missouri, Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Capaha Bank, Commerce Bank, Dollar Tree, First Missouri State Bank, Hastings Books, Osage Community Centre, First National Bank, Toys R Us, Union Planters Bank, US Bank, Wehrenberg Theatres and Westfield Shoppingtown West Park.

Gifts for the Christmas for the Elderly program may be dropped off at the Southeast Missourian.

Money for either Toybox or Christmas for the Elderly may be mailed to Toybox Trust or Christmas for the Elderly, P.O. Box 4, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63702-0004.

Both of these programs have been around for several years, and both have helped hundreds of children and older residents to have a brighter holiday.

The sponsors of Toybox and Christmas for the Elderly know how generous the community is and always has been. Now is the time to help both programs fulfill their missions of helping those who need help the most.

Please be generous. Give what you can. Every toy, every gift, every dollar will make someone's life happier.

And thank you for your support of these wonderful community projects.