Toys for Tots benefits East Liverpool families
Emma Durst, 14, and her mother Beth help select toys for a family in need during the Toys for Tots distribution held at the East Liverpool City Schools Board of Education Office. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)
Melanie Rowley, a teacher at East Liverpool City Schools, helps Ron Roach select toys for his daughter during the Toys for Tots distribution. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)
Thousands of toys were set out in the East Liverpool Board of Education Office from which students and families to select. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)
East Liverpool Firefighters Alex Estell and Josh Coil unpack toys to be set out for the Toys for Tots toy distribution. (Submitted photo)
A large number of volunteers including East Liverpool firefighters and police officers, students and teachers help set out toys for the Toys for Tots toy distribution. (Submitted photo)
Emma Durst, 14, and her mother Beth help select toys for a family in need during the Toys for Tots distribution held at the East Liverpool City Schools Board of Education Office. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)
Melanie Rowley, a teacher at East Liverpool City Schools, helps Ron Roach select toys for his daughter during the Toys for Tots distribution. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)
Thousands of toys were set out in the East Liverpool Board of Education Office from which students and families to select. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)
East Liverpool Firefighters Alex Estell and Josh Coil unpack toys to be set out for the Toys for Tots toy distribution. (Submitted photo)
A large number of volunteers including East Liverpool firefighters and police officers, students and teachers help set out toys for the Toys for Tots toy distribution. (Submitted photo)
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EAST LIVERPOOL -- Toys for Tots helped 420 local families during the toy distribution held at the East Liverpool City Schools Board of Education Office Monday.
During the school day, 360 preschoolers and fifth- and sixth-grade students were able to pick out one book and one toy. The toy distribution was then opened up to the public from 3 to 5:30 p.m. for any families needing toys for Christmas.
Once opened to the public, 60 families with multiple children came in to get toys for Christmas.
Ron Roach, who was selecting toys for his family, said the toy distribution was a tremendous help.
Teachers, firefighters and other volunteers were on hand to help parents select toys for their families.
Deborah Oberlin, coordination officer with the State of Ohio Toys for Tots, said the organization has been partnering for the past 10 years with the Ohio Oil and Gas Association to help provide toys. She said Toys for Tots was able to purchase $45,000 worth of toys the other day.
"We are grateful for people like Deb (Oberlin) who help us bless our students and families," said Megan Hernandez, communications director at East Liverpool City Schools.
Toys were provided by multiple organizations and the school district had donation boxes out for toy collection.
This is the second year that East Liverpool City Schools has partnered with Toys for Tots to provide for area families.
East Liverpool fire fighters and police officers helped set up for the distribution Friday by unloading over 100 boxes filled with toys from the trucks and setting them out. Hernandez said she considers the first responders who helped out unsung heroes.
Hernandez said that attendance was terrible for the day, suspecting it was due to the bomb threat received by many Ohio school districts over the weekend. East Liverpool families who were not able to make the distribution on Monday can attend the one to be held at Stadium Motors in Salem Dec. 18 from noon to 3 p.m. It will be the last event for this season for the Toys for Tots program in this area.