Is there a Santa?

[Woodbutcher68]

Originally Posted by NC Scroller

Fred my woodworking club also makes Toys for Tots every year. It sounds very similar to the setup your discribed. Most are made with scrap wood, donated materials and lots of love. You know there are over 1,700 members on this message board. Just think of all the young lives we could touch if each one of us would commit to making at least one toy to donate to a child in need. All of us who scroll or work with wood in other ways have a gift. We should all share it.

Merry Christmas to one and all.....

Scott

It's a thought. Maybe the Magazine staff could do something with it. 1700 members signed onto the website is great, but the majority of them aren't very active. The year our club made 1500 toys, I made 52 and another guy made over 350. ( That year I made 52 of the golf tee game you see on the tables at Cracker Barrel.) That was over 25% of the total and there are 110 members in our club. If 1/2 the magazine subscribers each made one, Santa would have to lay off some elves.
As I remember, a few years ago, one of the other magazines did a toy contest with some great toys and prizes. Some of the toys were items you wouldn't want to play with for fear of breaking them. The majority of the toys we make are very simple, cars, banks, puzzles, crayon holders and doll beds. Nothing elaborate, just something to put a smile on a face and warm a young heart. We do buy crayons and dolls to go with them. We don't do it as a competition, it's all for the kids.
If the magazine should happen to take this on and the advertisers wanted to donate prizes, then give the prizes away through a raffle. One ticket or nametag in a hat, for each toy donated, helps increase the number of donations, although most of us aren't doing it for prizes.
Okay, Bob and Shannon, there's the idea, could you make it work?
One warning though: With that many subscribers donating, it could turn into a full time job for a person or two or more.

Some of our toys:

[Little flower]

This thread has some wonderful stories of the heart. Thanks Carl for being on the spot and open to actually doing something about that situation. We all know someone out there who can do with a 'friend' at this time of the year and when we respond in the little ways we are able, we see hearts lit up brighter than the most beautiful christmas trees. Yesterday was my day to sponataneously respond by doing a little something for a little old lady in need and I'll tell you what, that was the best gift I have given, this Christmas. God bless all of you who show you care!!

[NC Scroller]

Fred, I really like your idea but maybe there is a better way then asking to publishers to handle this. After all we do not want them to stop doing a single thing with their magazine. If anyone out there can supply the publisher with names of international or national organizations that would be willing to accept small quanities of toys sent by our member then maybe the publisher could include that information in future issues. And just maybe the magazine contributors and publisher can throw in a few simple toy designs to encourage folks.

A second thought is maybe at next year's open house ( I am assuming there will be one ) they have the US Marines Toys for Tots rep there and we ask all attendees to bring a toy as part of the admission fee. Sorry to our friends across the northern border or on the other side of the ponds but I do not know what like groups you have.

Scott

[Woodbutcher68]

Good ideas Scott. As far as distributing the toys nationwide and to Canada, Feed the Children might be able to help.