Toybox drive earns a high-five

Almost all children know Santa Claus, but even the youngest often recognize he is someone they are going to like.

Their enthusiasm was rewarded Thursday night during the Cape Jaycees' 39th annual Toybox distribution to children who otherwise might not have gotten much, if anything, for Christmas.

Co-sponsored by the Southeast Missourian and allied with the Christmas for the Elderly campaign, the task shaped up at 5:30 p.m. in the former Steve & Barry's clothing store section of West Park Mall, where one of the organizers gave a pep talk to 25 Santa Clauses, a half-dozen elves and more than 100 other Jaycees and their spouses.

Chairwoman Tracy Haggerty said applications had been accepted for 365 families, which meant 1,000 to 1,500 children between the ages of 1 and 12 would get five or six toys each, not counting stocking stuffers.

Asked whether the Jaycees' early reported shortfall for children in certain age groups had been covered, she said, "Yes, but we had to do some shopping."

"The Notre Dame High School kids had over 1,000 toys. They bring toys for us every year, so without their support, we would have to shop for 1,000 toys."

Haggerty's co-chairwomen were Amy Lord and Alicia Schumer, who said donations of toys and money increased as the snow and ice that inundated the region two weeks ago slowly melted.

The local Toys for Tots drive is for children who live in Cape Girardeau County outside city limits.

Like Haggerty, J.J. Schulz has worked with the Toybox drive for 10 years. On Thursday night, he dressed as Santa Claus and led a crew of Jeremy Snider, Shane Huff and Matt Miller to 15 homes along Ellis Street on the southeast side of town.

Bearing Legos, dolls, trucks, action figures, Nerf toys, blocks, puzzles, skateboards, Caboodles with makeup, friendship bracelet craft kits and other harbingers of youthful holiday cheer, the Jaycees first visited 3-year-old Adraious, whose eyes lit up like the red and green Christmas lights in his mother's living room.

"Are you going to be good till next year, when I come back?" Schulz asked, to which Adraious responded by giving him a high-five.

Down the street was 1-year-old Kaidynn, still wearing a party hat from celebrating his birthday Wednesday.

Kaidynn didn't seem to know who Santa Claus was, but was delighted by his costume, white beard and the presentation of more toys.

And a few houses down, 7-year-old Neviah greeted Santa like an old friend, dancing a couple of steps and saying he had been looking forward to the visit.

Schulz said the Jaycees have struggled to meet Toybox needs for the past five years because a gradual decrease in contributions, explaining that a number of Toybox backers have died or lost touch with the project.