Food bank needs toys for holiday gifts

Published 5:28 pm Monday, December 6, 2010

MONROE — Marge Ferrel still remembers the night she gave away two bicycles.

She was working as a volunteer for Sky Valley Food Bank’s toy drive when a woman arrived.

Ferrel was in charge of doling out the gifts. She had held onto the bikes, waiting for the perfect moment, trying to make sure they went to children big enough to use them.

The woman’s apartment caught fire three weeks before, and she had two boys, Ferrel recalled.

“One was 11 and one was 13,” she said. “I looked up and I said, ‘I’m going to do it.’ I gave two bikes to one family.”

Ferrel, 80, will again help the food bank during its annual toy drive, Precious Packages.

The food bank is making a call for gifts, which will be given to families in the food bank’s database.

“This is the only toy drive in Monroe that targets underprivileged children,” food bank director Julie Morris said.

Clothes, games and gift certificates are all accepted as part of the drive. The gifts must be new and unwrapped.

Donors can also give cash donations and should write “toys” or “precious packages” on their checks.

The food bank will start distributing the gifts on Dec. 16. Donations should be made prior to Dec. 21, the last day of the drive.

The organization will still collect food during the toy drive. Money donations are encouraged, since the food bank can use its bulk-buying power to as much as three times the worth of a single dollar, Morris said.

Volunteers such as Ferrel know the food bank isn’t only interested in what goes on a person’s table, however.

Come Christmas, it’s also interested in what goes under the tree.

Andy Rathbun: 425-339-3455, arathbun@heraldnet.com.

Toy donations

Donations can be made to the Sky Valley Food Bank, 233 Sky River Parkway, Monroe. The food bank operates at odd hours.

For hours of operation and a list of alternate drop-off sites, call 360-794-7959 or go to www.svfoodbank.org.