TOYBOX HEADQUARTERS LOOKING PRETTY EMPTY

Toybox headquarters, located in a building at the corner of North Kingshighway and Mt. Auburn Road, looks pretty empty right now.

There are toys stacked in a few corners, a room set aside for infant and toddler toys, and another for stuffed animals (the Barney dolls have their own special corner), but for the most part there's a lot of open space.

"We have enough toys right now to get started but not enough to go very far," said Scott McClanahan, co-chairman of the Toybox event for the Jaycees.

Monday evening, Jaycees began filling the first of the applications with what toys they had available. Members are also "going shopping" with funds donated by the community to the Toybox drive.

"We will go out and buy a lot of things we don't have that the kids have asked for," said Janet Kluesner, a Jaycees member who showed up Monday night to help out. "We go shopping almost every night.

"It's really lots of fun," she continued. "It's the one time in your life you can go into a store, buy whatever catches your eye, and write a check for thousands of dollars worth of toys."

To Jaycee Julia Cowsert, Toybox is more than just a community project.

"I have three kids of my own," said Cowsert. "Last year, we had to take advantage of Toybox.

"Would it not have been for Toybox, my kids' Christmas would have been a lot less happy than it was," she said.

"Toybox is about the spirit of giving and helping parents share their love with their children."

The project's other co-chairman, Karen Byrum, said she wanted to play a major role in Toybox because she feels it is a worthwhile project.

"If I do just one project a year, I would rather do something that's going to help the community," Byrum said. "This impacts the community in a big way."

Byrum said Toybox is especially in need of stocking caps -- especially for infants -- Barbie dolls, Barney dolls, boys' action figures and board games. But any contribution, no matter how small, would help, she said.

Applications are being accepted at the Salvation Army Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-noon and from 2-4 p.m. through Dec. 15.

Those filling out applications must bring with them identification, proof of current address and Social Security cards for everyone in the family.

New, unwrapped toys may be delivered to the Southeast Missourian, 301 Broadway, or to the following Toybox drop-off spots: West Park Mall, Boatmen's Bank, Capital Bank, Perry Travel Center, Gulliver's Travel Agency, AmeriFirst Bank, Commerce Bank, Farm and Home Savings Association and Mercantile Bank.

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

Gifts will be delivered Dec. 21 by Santa Claus and a team of elves from the Jaycees.

For more information, call Kim McDowell at 335-6611.