Local Toys for Tots Group Wraps Up Busy July

We had a great month! We kicked off the month by reading two books, Flome the Gnome and Flome the Gnome Counts to Twelve, to kids at the Star City Library. Afterwards, we helped them become authors/illustrators by helping them with creating their own stories. We also allowed the forty some odd attendees to take a coloring book of their choice home with them.Our first Christmas in July Toy Drive at Pine Bluff Walmart was pretty successful. We give a special shout out to United Way, who came and helped us man one of the doors. We collected just over $750, a dozen+ toys, and some school supplies. Then, we also found out that both Walmarts in our coverage area, Pine Bluff and Fordyce, have approved $1000 grants to assist youth in our area with our 2025 Campaign. Yea!!! & Thank you Walmart. For our final Christmas in July Toy Drive of 2025, we set up at the Dollar General next to the Mad Butcher in Fordyce for our final Christmas in July Toy Drive of 2025, with one of the objectives being to stand against terrorism and be a beacon of hope for the community, which is still overcoming the senseless tragedy that occurred there nearly a year ago. Fortunately, despite a forecast of sun blazing and hot, hot, hot, overcast skies were dominant all day along with a breeze that helped keep us cool. We gave out over a dozen backpacks and various school supplies to those that came by and needed them for the new school year. We also collected just over $400 and 34 toys, including two fishing poles and a tricycle, which Kymberly tested and approved. We were also grateful that Kymberly’s friend, Madalyn, was able to assist for a few hours. Our truck even got in on the action helping to draw in a few passerbys as we decorated it up and parked it on the far end of the parking lot near the road. As we are looking at being involved in a parade or three this Fall, it helped us get an idea of what it will look like.We do plan on atte...