TOYBOX GETS BOOST FROM SCHRADER SCHOOL

Alma Schrader Elementary School will give Toybox a much-needed boost when it continues its tradition of donating toys to the project Dec. 16.

Students will donate toys appropriate for children ranging in age from infants to 8 or 9. Toys will be dropped into grocery bags and delivered to the Southeast Missourian Dec. 17.

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

Jaycees co-chairman Karen Byrum said Toybox is in dire need of Easy Bake ovens, toys for infants and for boys ages 10-12. Power Rangers and Barneys are some of the more popular toys requested this year.

"Right now the contributions are coming in slowly," Byrum said. "Hopefully it will pick up pretty soon. It would help a great deal if we could get donations this weekend because we only really have another week or so to package the toys and deliver them."

"We will end up filling 10 to 15 grocery bags with good-quality toys," Alma Schrader Principal David Giles said. "It's something we've been doing for the last six years."

Giles said Toybox is just one of three holiday projects students are involved with at Alma Schrader. "We're collecting canned goods for the Salvation Army, and for the first year the Girl Scouts are in charge of collecting pet food donations for the Humane Society."

"These projects are a good experience for the students," Giles said.

Civic organizations, other Cape Girardeau schools and individuals are also contributing to Toybox.

New, unwrapped toys may be delivered to the Southeast Missourian, 301 Broadway, or to the following Toybox collection sites: West Park Mall, Boatmen's Bank, Capital Bank, Perry Travel Center, Gulliver's Travel Agency, AmeriFirst Bank, Commerce Bank, Roosevelt Bank and Mercantile Bank.

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