Ashford Park PTA Donates Toys to Needy Families

It there were ever such a thing as a 'no-brainer' for Kelli Williams and Lisa Austin, donating toys to underprivileged children in the community would be it.

The idea of a toy drive came last year when Williams, co-vice president of the Parent Teacher Association, noticed her children's toy closet crammed with toys – many of which her 3^rd grader and kindergartner would rarely use again.

After brainstorming, the pair decided to organize the drive late last season. Even at the last minute, the efforts yielded 80 new toys.

This year, that number nearly doubled.

"None of our children are going to go without a Christmas," Williams said. "We would hate for a child to be sitting next to our kids coming back from the holiday vacation who may not have had the same blessing."

Williams and Austin, co-chairperson of the drive, started seeking donations early this year and set up a collection station in the front lobby of the school. In some cases, students and their parents picked out toys together at the toy store and each morning, families dropped off their donations in the lobby.

The PTA shied away from larger organizations that organize toy drives because they wanted to insure that the toys went to children in the neighborhood.

On Wednesday, Williams delivered half the toys to Skyland United Methodist Church. Austin delivered the other half to the Vida Abundante Spanish Ministry at Clairmont Baptist Church on Clairmont Road.

"Most of us are very fortunate, we have more than enough so why not share our blessings with others," Williams said.

The toy drive for Christmas 2011 will begin at the start of the next school year.