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Boy Scout Troop 284, sponsored by Marble Falls Baptist Church, lent a helping hand to volunteers at the 2021 Highland Lakes Christmas is for Kids toy sorting event on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 17 and 18 at Marble Falls Middle School. Photos contributed. Gina Ruiz and her family dedicated their time to help the toy sorting event over the weekend. Kevin Virdell (left) and Wade Whiteside volunteered on Friday night. Their wives serve on the board for Highland Lakes Christmas is for Kids.Marble Falls Fire Rescue firefighters–Randy Rankin, Salem Hilton and Michael Ward pictured here on Dec. 17 at the Sort Night Event – were among first responders who both launched toy drives and volunteered their time for Highland Lakes Christmas is for Kids.The Church at Horseshoe Bay collected a mountain of items during their “Christmas for Others” campaign which included hundreds of toys for Highland Lakes Christmas is for Kids in 2021. Pictured are: Back row from left: Geneva Dalton, Ken Lindgren, Jamie Deyhle, Dale Amstutz, Carol Rose, Janet Revennaugh, Jan Browning, Rhonda Goose, Phyllis Nash, Roger Goose and Mary Alice Dunn. Kneeling from left: Scott Matthews, Jim Browning, Andy Thurman, Elsie Thurman, Georgia Newcomer, Eddie Newcomer, Gail Matthews and Linda Amstutz. Volunteers spent Friday night and Saturday sorting through toys at MFMS. At left, MFHS National Honor Society members Haylee Whiteside (left) and Ryan Terrell (right), joined Braidon Whiteside for the gift-sorting on Dec. 17 and 18.
For the past 31 years, the board members for Highland Lakes Christmas is for Kids have given credit for the success of their toy drive to the giving spirit of volunteers with area entities and churches.
“We couldn’t do it without that many people. It was a 100 percent success,” said program director Robben Thompson. “The success attributes to the fact we run a tight organization.”
Volunteers conducted the Toy Drive Sort Nights on Friday, Dec. 17 and much of the day on Sat. Dec. 18 at the Marble Falls Middle School foyer.
Thompson and board members – Jennifer Virdell, Crystal Whiteside and Allyson Black – coordinated 36 volunteers from across the community on the first night and 38 on the second day.
This year, 136 families and 327 children received bags of toys picked up that Saturday night.
Those families identified with infants and babies received additional care packages.
“That diaper bag will have upwards of $60 worth of items plus boxes of diapers,” Thompson explained. “All the things that are expensive.”
“We do the winter sleepers, current and next size, baby towels, blankets – just the facts of life.”
But it’s the effort that takes place prior to the sorting event that set the foundation for the drive. Multiple collection campaigns are coordinated by local churches, scout troops, school groups, first responders and municipalities, a local grocery store and other nonprofit organizations. “You have the families who
“You have the families who are flat-down on their luck,” Thompson said. “There’s always a legitimate need and a legitimate last minute need. That’s what’s we’re here for.”
This year’s largest collectors and volunteer participants included:
• Boy Scout troop 284 sponsored by Marble Falls First Baptist Church;
• The Church at Horseshoe Bay;
• Marble Falls High School National Honor Society;
• Marble Falls High School FCCLA (Families, Careers & Community Leaders of America);
• His Joshua House in Kingsland;
• Marble Falls Police Department;
• Marble Falls Area EMS;
• Marble Falls Fire Rescue;
• Marble Falls Police Department;
• Horseshoe Bay City Hall;
• Meadowlakes Totties for Tots (The Margarita Society);
• St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Marble Falls;
• Area Girl Scouts; and • HEB grocery store.
• HEB grocery store. Also, entities such as the
Also, entities such as the Marble Falls/Lake LBJ Chamber of Commerce donated to the cause.
The groups held mass collection drives and/or offered donation drop-off locations for the past several weeks to then haul the toys to the middle school. As many as four enclosed trailer loads were sorted at the campus.
“Those are the main groups who are keeping us going,” she said. “We’ve earned the trust of the community because it’s about the kids.”