Siblings' toy requests are vastly different

Chase and Chasidy are both 11 years old and have vastly different requests for Christmas gifts this year.

The siblings also have a 4-year-old brother, so the toys their family receives from Santa vary greatly.

Chase wants board games, a baseball glove, ball and bat, a football and a basketball. His sister wants Barbies, Barbie clothes and anything that has to do with horses.

The youngest, Collin, wants blocks or Duplo sets, trucks, cars and a toy police car. He also is beginning to learn his letters and numbers, so educational toys would be good gifts.

Toybox is a joint program of the Cape Girardeau Jaycees and the Southeast Missourian that provides gifts to needy children up to age 12. Last year, 1,400 children received gifts through the program, which relies on community donations.

This year the donations seem to be fewer than in years past, Jaycee members say. Toys for both older and younger children are still needed to fill requests. Scooby-Doo toys and games, Powerpuff girls, Barbies, baby dolls and doll strollers, electronic games and sports equipment are needed.

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, Cingular Wireless, Union Planters Bank, Alliance Bank, 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 before Dec. 20, which is the night of delivery.

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