Area book clubs are banding together again this year to host a drive for Beaufort County’s Toys for Tots program.

The Tea and Topics Book Club has hosted the event since its inception six years ago when a decision was made to redirect the club’s Christmas present exchange to a gift drive benefiting Toys for Tots, said Carolyn Wetmore, a member of the club. Each of the 22 book clubs in the county were invited to participate in the initiative, and since, around 10 to 12 clubs have attended.

Most years, the event sees well over 200 toys donated, Wetmore said.

“Each woman will bring a toy,” Wetmore said. “What ends up happening is they bring a case of basketballs or two to three different toys. Even book clubs that can’t attend, they send toys. It’s quite an event to get that many toys at one time and all the toys stay in Beaufort County.”

This year’s drive will be held Thursday at noon at Yankee Hall Plantation in Pactolus, and will host 14 U.S. Marines, as well as John Small Elementary School’s third-grade choir, according to Wetmore.

The overall Toys for Tots program in Beaufort County is headed by the Washington (noon) Rotary and the Belhaven (noon) Rotary, according to Rich Morin, local volunteer program coordinator.

Morin said the program has about 750 children on its list, not counting other counties the Beaufort County chapter tries to support such as Tyrrell, Washington and Hyde counties. Last year, the program served 600 children. This year, toys are needed, especially, for boys and girls ages 9-11. Toys will be collected through Dec. 10.

“We’re very grateful for the women’s club doing this,” Morin said. “They provide a huge source of toys through their generosity. When you have high unemployment, stagnant wages and people struggling to make ends meet, it’s important that we can do something to create a smile on a child’s face at least one day out of the year.”

“We have so many children in our county that do not have a Christmas,” Wetmore said. “The need seems to be getting greater every year. We just try to cover as much as we can and serve as many children as possible.”

For more information, contact Rich Morin at 252-402-6156.

Beaufort County Toys for Tots is looking for donations of unwrapped new toys for children up to 11 years of age. The deadline for donations is Friday, Dec. 11, and toys can be dropped off at one of the following locations:

 

Aurora

 

PotashCorp-Aurora, 1 Texas Gulf Road

Vidant Aurora

Citizens on Southside Together, 17501 N.C. Highway 33 East

 

 

Bath

True Value Hardware Store, 3200 N.C. Highway 92

Southern Bank, 419 Carteret St.

The Rich Company, 423 Carteret St.

 

Belhaven

First Bank, 770 W. Main St.

Southern Bank, 148 E. Main St.

TriCounty Telecom, 2193 N.C. Highway 99 South

Wells Fargo, 365 Pamlico St.

 

Chocowinity

Cypress Landing Yacht Club, 100 Marina Way

East Coast Equipment Company LLC, 7145 U.S. Highway 17

Edward Jones (Trey Howdy), 685 N.C. Highway 33 East, Unit B

First South Bank, 2999 U.S. Highway 17-Business

Raised in a Barn Farm, 2106 N.C. Highway 33

Southside High School, 5700 N.C. Highway 33

 

Pinetown

Northside High School, 7868 Free Union Church Road

 

Swan Quarter

Yadkin Bank, 80 Main St.

 

Washington

 

Arts of the Pamlico, 150 W. Main St.

Bath and Body Works, Washington Square Mall

Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, 210 N. Market St.

BHM Regional Library , 158 N. Market St.

Bloom Women’s Apparel, 100 W. Main St.

Brown Library, 122 Van Norden St.

Camfil Farr, 200 Creekside Drive

Century 21, 162 W. Main St.

City of Washington Warehouse, 203 Grimes Road

Couer/ITW Medical, 209 Creekside Drive

Coldwell Bankers, 239, W. Main St.

Eastern Radiology, 630 E. 11^th St.

Edward Jones (Roy Parker), 1251 Highland Drive

Washington Fire Station No. 1, 410 N. Market St.

Washington Fire Station No. 2, 2064 W. 15^th St.

First Bank, 132 W. Second St.

First South Bank, 1311 Carolina Ave.

First South Bank, 1328 John Small Ave.

Fitness Unlimited, 622 W. 15^th St.

Grub Brothers Eatery, 156 W. Main St.

IDX Impressions, 234 Springs Road

On the Waterfront, 1 Harding Square

Pamlico Plantation Clubhouse, 150 Clubhouse Circle

Pamlico Sail and Power Squadron

Park Boat Company, 1589 W. 5^th St.

PAS USA Inc., 2010 W. 15^th St.

Washington Police Department, 102 E. 3^rd St.

Precision Eye Care, 1730 Carolina Ave.

Riverwalk Gallery, 139 W. Main St.

Ruth’s House Antiques, 140 W. Main St.

Siegel Chiropractic Center, 108 Avon Ave.

St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 101 N. Bonner St.

Stewart’s Jewelry Store, 121 N. Market St.

Tayloe’s Hospital Pharmacy, 601 E. 12^th St.

The Meeting Place, 225 W. Main St.

The Rich Company, 1468 Carolina Ave.

The Rich Company, 147 W. Main St.

Vidant Wellness Center, Cowell Farm Road

Vidant Beaufort Hospital, 628 E. 12^th St.

Bath Visitors Center, 207 Carteret St.

Walmart, Pamlico Plaza

Wells Fargo, 210 N. Market St.

Wine and Design, 132 Water St.

WITN, 203 W. Main St.

Yadkin Bank, 1422 Carolina Ave.

Tractor Supply, 608 W. 15^th St.

University of Mount Olive, 4525 U.S Highway 264 West

 

Washington Park

Jack’s Tavern at Fiddler’s Green, 712 River Road

Little Shoppes/Charisma, 127 W. Main St.

Washington Yacht and Country Club, 7155 River Road