As September ends, it is time to start thinking about the holidays as they are fast approaching! This week's episode features the Ellwood City Hometown Holiday Toy Drive and we're honored to have Rhiannon Schnell, Board of Director member of the Ellwood City Chamber of Commerce & representative of the Ellwood City Borough.
We start the episode off learning about what this wonderful Hometown Holiday Toy Drive is and why it is so important for the community. The toy drive is a collective effort between the Ellwood City Chamber of Commerce, the Ellwood City Borough and the Ellwood City Area School District. The school identifies families that may need extra help at Christmas time. The Chamber of Commerce handles the advertising and acts as the main sponsor of the event and the Borough handles toy collection and helps with distribution. What makes this toy drive so special is that it is specific to only the families that live in Ellwood City. Everything collected stays in the Ellwood City community!
If you're wanting to donate but are wondering what is being accepted: New, unwrapped toys for really any age are appropriate. The toy drive helps families with children from kindergarten all the way to 12th grade. Also, if there are any smaller children in the family, we will do our best to help them out as well so really no toy is too young. We do accept monetary donations that would be used to purchase gift cards for some of the older kids if we do not have items suitable for someone in high school. We do encourage people to donate items that would be able to be used for older kids such as make up kits for older girls or hoodies for the boys. Checks can be made payable to the Ellwood City Chamber of Commerce and mailed to the Ellwood City Borough in care of Rhiannon Schnell at 525 Lawrence Avenue, Ellwood City PA 16117.
Current Drop Off Locations for toys:
-Busy Beaver Ellwood City
-Wesbanco in Franklin Twp. And Ellwood City
-Posies by Patti
-The Color Cener
-Air Physical Therapy
-Wendydae Handmade
-The Ellwood City Soccer Boosters have also agreed to campaign and collect toys so watch for them in the community
Any business interested in becoming a drop off point can do so by emailing rschnell@ellwoodcityborough.com
Special thanks to Rhiannon and the Ellwood City Hometown Holiday Toy committee for everything they're doing to make Christmas special for families this year!