Toybox needs your help by this weekend

With just days before Jaycees and other volunteers begin delivering Toybox gifts to hundreds of needy children, there is an urgent need for donations. Because of a variety of factors, there haven't been as many toys dropped off this year, and cash donations are lagging as well.

This means it will be difficult to fill all the requests of the 545 families who have asked for assistance.

But let's not give up hope. The Cape Girardeau area is well-known for its willingness to pitch in when a real need exists. And the need to make children happy is real and pressing.

The Toybox program is in its 28th year. Over those years, thousands of children have had their Christmases made merry thanks to the generosity of others. Their requests for gifts have ranged from toys to warm clothes. Many of them have requested gifts for brothers and sisters or even their parents.

Most of us are fortunate enough that our biggest worry at this time of year is finding the time to buy all the presents on our lists.

But at one time or another, most of us also have been in a financial pinch. Take the pain of that pinch and multiply it by 545. That's the pain of children who will have little to celebrate this year if there aren't enough late donations to Toybox.

Members of the Cape Girardeau Jaycees are working hard to finish this year's Toybox project on a high note. But it all depends on donations.

These donations are needed by this weekend. The gifts must be sorted and bagged by Tuesday for delivery on Dec. 19.

This year there have been quite a few requests for educational toys and books and any items related to Winnie the Pooh, Dora the Explorer and Blue's Clues. Additional donations of these items would go a long way to making more children happy.

Donations of new toys can be dropped off at several locations, including the Southeast Missourian, which jointly sponsors Toybox with the Jaycees. The Missourian office in Cape Girardeau is at 301 Broadway. The office in Jackson is at 104 S. Hope. Anyone who steps inside the Cape Girardeau lobby will see the growing number of gift items that already have been collected.

In addition, toys may be dropped off at AAA Travel Agency, First National Bank, First Missouri State Bank, Bank of America, Sander True Value Hardware, 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.

Cash donations also are an enormous help in making sure all requests are met. Checks may be mailed to Toybox Trust, P.O. Box 4, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63702-0004.

Thank you, on behalf of all the needy families, for any help you can provide to make this year's Toybox another success story.