Share-A-Christmas toy drive fills Clover Café as programs expand to serve seniors

A sea of toys filled the Clover Café at the Tuscarawas County Fair Grounds this year at the annual Share-A-Christmas toy drive. Share-A-Christmas partners with the Indian Valley FFA students and WJER on the event.

The Share-A-Christmas program branched out last year to ensure seniors are remembered at Christmas time as well.

“We delivered 1,142 pillows to 12 nursing homes in Tuscarawas County,” Leslie Booth, T4C director, said. “We had quite a few seamstresses in the area that volunteered hours and hours of time sewing these pillows for us."

The Tuscarawas County Pork Producers provided the stuffing for all the pillows.

“They supplied lotion and ChapStick for each resident to go out with the pillows. And then we had local schools and 4-H groups that made ornaments and they made cards, so each resident got a card and ornament as well,” Booth said.

Last year the program donated lap blankets to nursing home residents, and they were well received.

"We got so much feedback, so many people that were blessed, that somebody thought of them and it's just so rewarding," Booth said.

Both residents and the staff at the nursing homes were pleased with the results.

The Bless a Senior program that delivered boxes to seniors who are shut-in, is now in its second year too. Last year’s program delivered 110 boxes to seniors who did not apply for Share-A-Christmas but were nominated by others.

"Their names are nominated anonymously. So, if people call and say, I need to know how you got my name, we can't tell them,” Booth said. “It's all anonymous, but they have to qualify as being 65 years old and never applied for Share-A-Christmas.”

The program delivered 198 of the holiday care packages that contained cleaning supplies, personal hygiene items, Christmas cards, and some included pillows.

“All the supplies have been donated, or people donated the money to us to go purchase the supplies for the senior basket,” Booth said.

Volunteers then deliver the baskets, a process that began last week.

Families apply ahead of time to the Share-A-Christmas program, which provides toys for children through age 10.

"Our Share-A-Christmas application is always done in person in September,” Booth said. The program conducted the process over three days and also added a Saturday this year.

“We met at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in New Phila. They had to bring proof of income, and then we filled out an application with them. They went through an interview process, and we go on income based,” Booth said.

Anyone can apply for Share-A-Christmas, there is no age requirement. The only age stipulation is on toys. The program also provides food and everyone who is accepted receives a $35 Kohl’s gift card.

Booth was astonished at all the donations they received at the toy drive.

“If you look around, it's just phenomenal. They have to all be brand new toys. It's just amazing to look out here this year,” Booth said.

The toy drive was held at the Tuscarawas County Fairgrounds Dec. 8. The Indian Valley FFA members were kept busy unloading vehicles, some which were packed full with toys and sorting them onto tables by age group.

Over the week, the appropriate toys will be gathered for each family, and then pick-up will occur Dec. 15. They will have the same pull-through set up next week and FFA members will help again with loading the gifts for the families.

For toy pickup, recipients will bring a letter that will expedite that process.

A change was made this year to ensure the pickup process would be convenient and fast for other Share-A-Christmas items. Recipients received a card to present for pickup, similar to a Polar Express ticket.

“It was cute, because that’s all they had to bring this year and it made it so much nicer,” Booth said.

Booth said thank-you messages often pour in.

“Quite a few people tell us their stories, which is very heart wrenching,” Booth said.

Over 100 volunteers are involved each year in making Christmas better for area families in need.

"Anybody that's interested in doing any kind of volunteer work, please reach out to us at T-4-C,” Booth said.

Booth is grateful to the community.

“Without the generosity of the community, we couldn’t do this,” Booth said.

Follow the T4C Tuscarawas County Council for Church and Community on Facebook for upcoming information about two new fundraisers they will have in February. A cake tasting and contest will be held at one event. At another time they will hold a formal dress resale and will be looking for donations of formals.