Those in the giving spirit have both the time and plenty of locations to donate to those most in need in Beaufort County.

Local organizers of Toys for Tots are asking the public to pitch in new, unused and unwrapped toys for children newborn to age 8 so that all young ones can celebrate Christmas, regardless of their circumstances.

Toys for Tots got its start in Los Angeles in 1947, when a Marine Corps Reserve major and his wife wanted to donate toys to needy children. Since, more than 512 million toys have been distributed to more than 237 million children in need, according to the Toys for Tots website.

In Beaufort County, the program is run jointly by Washington (noon) Rotary, Beaufort/Hyde Partnership for Children and St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. Once donated toys are distributed to local children, excess gifts are shared with neighboring counties with donation shortfalls. Each gift goes to a child truly in need, as confirmed through the registration process at BHPC, according to Rich Morin, the local coordinator for Toys for Tots.

“It’s very much a vetted list of kids and caretakers,” Morin said.

Morin said the project always gets a great response from those sponsoring Toys for Tots collection boxes and those giving gifts to fill them.

“The enthusiasm seems to maintained from years past. It’s always been an enthusiastic area in Beaufort County, but it seems like there’s more enthusiasm this year,” Morin said.

He said that excitement extends through the collection process, in which volunteers haul toys from all corners of the county to the collection center at St. Peter’s, and the sorting process, in which gifts are categorized according to age and gender — a process that takes a day and a lot of help and draws in volunteers from Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office deputies to members of the community at large.

“Many hands make lighter work,” Morin said. “No one is there sorting toys that doesn’t care about the kids. Everyone gets a warm feeling.”

Toys for Tots donations will be collected at many places of business throughout the county through Dec. 9 and will be distributed on Dec. 11.

 

Toys for Tots Drop-off Locations

 

Aurora

Citizens on Southside together

Vidant Aurora

 

Bath

Southern Bank

Bath True Value

Historic Bath State Historic Site visitors center

The Rich Company

 

Belhaven

First Bank

Wells Fargo

Southern Bank

TriCounty Telecom

Dollar General

 

Chocowinity

Cypress Landing Yacht Club

Raised in a Barn Farm

First South Bank

Edward Jones/Trey Howdy

City warehouse

 

Swan Quarter

Yadkin Bank

 

Employee/Club/ School Drives

BCCC Student Government Association

Beaufort County book clubs

CamfilFarr

Coeur/ITW Medical

IDX Impressions

Northside High School

Pamlico Sail and Power Squadron

PAS

PotashCorp

Southside High School

University of Mt. Olive

WIMCO

 

Washington Area

Arts of the Pamlico

Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office

BHM Regional Library

Bloom Women’s Apparel

Blue Crab Monograms and Gifts

Brown Library

Century 21

Coldwell Bankers

East Coast Equipment Company

Eastern Radiology

Edward Jones/Roy Parker

Washington Fire Station No. 1

Washington Fire Station No. 2

First Bank, Washington

First Citizens Bank

First South banks

Fitness Unlimited

Grub Brothers

Lee Chevrolet

Little Shoppes of Washington/South Market Antiques

On the Waterfront

Pamlico Plantation clubhouse

Pecheles Toyota

Park Boat Company

Precision Eye Care

River Walk Gallery

Ruth’s House – Antiques & More

Siegel Chiropractic Center

Southern Bank

St Peter’s Episcopal Church

Stewart’s Jewelry Store

Tayloe’s Hospital Pharmacy

The Meeting Place

The Rich Company

Tractor Supply

Vidant – Fitness Center

Vidant – Lights of Love

Vidant Medical Center

W.G. Walker (WITN)

Walmart

Washington-Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce

Washington Book Store

Washington Police

Washington Yacht & Country Club

Wells Fargo

Wine and Design

Yadkin Bank