Toybox struggles to provide presents

Southeast Missourian

Some may blame an unexpected snowstorm or a poor economy, but whatever the reason Toybox is struggling this year to fill all the requests it has received for gifts.

So far, gifts have been trickling in, but a snowstorm last week is being blamed for slowing down donations. Organizers don't have enough to fill all the applications received.

Toybox is a joint program of the Cape Girardeau Jaycees and Southeast Missourian that provides needy children up to age 12 with gifts at Christmastime.

So far, the group has filled requests for only 82 of the 545 families seeking assistance. "We have less than 20 percent of what we need to fill the bags," said Scott McClanahan, a Jaycees member.

A winter storm last week likely kept people from shopping and dropping off their gifts early, McClanahan said. But without donations received by this weekend, the Jaycees are fearful there won't be enough gifts to go around.

"We don't want these kids not to have Christmas," said Lisa Seabaugh, a Jaycee member who does most of the group's shopping for toys.

Desperation

Judy Richards sought help from Toybox out of desperation. She has a full-time job but is just "doing good to make my living expenses right now."

Without Toybox, she said her children would get nothing.

"It just breaks my heart," she said.

She didn't really want to seek help, but the thought of not having gifts for her three children was too horrible to comprehend. "This is not something I was proud of doing, but sometimes we have to do things that we don't want to when it comes to making our children happy," she said.

Educational toys and books, Winnie the Pooh, Dora the Explorer and Blue's Clues items have been popular this year, so more of those items are needed, Seabaugh said.

McClanahan said the bags of gifts will be filled "if we have enough stuff."

The toys must be sorted and bagged by Tuesday for delivery Dec. 19.

Donations of new, unused toys are being collected at Southeast Missourian offices in Cape Girardeau and Jackson, AAA Travel Agency, First National Bank, First Missouri State Bank, Bank of America, Sanders True Value, Bank of Missouri, Capaha Bank, Cingular Wireless, Union Planters Bank, Alliance Bank, Toys R Us, Commerce Bank, Westfield Shoppingtown West Park, U.S. Bank and Wehrenberg Theatres.

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

ljohnston@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126