Many Toybox orders still need to be filled

The Christmas wish list and requests are dwindling, and so are the available gifts to be distributed to children throughout Cape Girardeau as part of the annual Toybox program.

Toybox is a joint program of the Cape Girardeau Jaycees and the Southeast Missourian that provides gifts to needy children from infant to age 12.

About 100 assistance requests are still left to fill as the delivery date draws near. More than 500 families asked for gifts this year. Many cited lost jobs and pay cuts as the reason.

Without Toybox donations, Jana, 10, wouldn't have any gifts under her family tree. She would like a makeup kit and glitter, a Trouble or Sorry game, a paint-by-number set and a Destiny's Child doll.

Her brother, Terry, 3, wants Bob the Builder toys and a race track for Hot Wheels. He would also like a toy guitar or drum set.

Another girl, 12, wants Barbies and porcelain dolls, Pokemon cars and PowerPuff Girls toys. Her 3-year-old brother wants Tonka trucks and Scooby-Doo toys.

Toys like Hot Wheels, Legos and block sets, puzzles, books, crayons and coloring books, dolls and doll strollers are still needed to fill the remaining Toybox requests.

Drop-off locations for new, unused toys are Southeast Missourian offices, AAA Travel Agency, First National Bank, Firstar Bank, Check Please, Bank of America, Sanders True Value, Bank of Missouri, Capaha Bank, Union Planters Bank, Alliance Bank, Wehrenberg Theatres, Commerce Bank at the Cape LaCroix Road location only, Westfield Shoppingtown West Park and SunCom Wireless.

New toys must be delivered to the drop-off sites by Thursday, which is the night of delivery.

Tax-deductible contributions may be mailed to Toybox Trust, P.O. Box 4, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63702-0004.