|
October 25, and November 2, we will be taking applications at the PMBA Resource Center for the Central Toy Store. Our Stokes County Toy Store and East Forsyth Toy Store will begin their process in October. Inquiries regarding our Toy Store have already begun and we anticipate record numbers needing help due to our poor economy and high unemployment.
We realize how many of our very own people are out of work this year. Buying toys for the Toy Store will be a challenge, but we can do it if we all work together. I hope that each person will individually look at ways to help bring in toys. Perhaps your children have received toys that they never played with and are still in the package. If so, what about giving them to our Toy Store? Ask your friends and relatives to purchase toys this year for the Baptist Toy Stores. If you work, see if your coworkers will help this year. If every member of each PMBA congregation gave just one toy, we would have enough!
Toys should be valued at $10 - $25, but you can probably catch them on sale this year for much less. Look for creative ways to bring in the toys for our three Toy Stores. You can always make a monetary gift. Just make your check payable to the Pilot Mountain Baptist Association and mark it for the Baptist Toy Stores. We will take the contributions and purchase toys in the age ranges where we are short. I will personally assure you that we look for the best deals we can find when buying toys. With God's help, we will have another successful Toy Store this year!
Remember, we also let our parents select the toys from our tables for their children. Again this year we will individually wrap the presents. We will also gift the parents with a new Bible or Devotional Book (whichever they need most). We hope to also have lots of stocking stuffers for the children as well as new toys. Great stocking stuffers are: socks, mittens, toboggans, small "Happy Meal" toys, books, hair barettes, pencils, crayons, etc.
We are going to collect good, used coats for the children. If you have any to donate, you can begin bringing them by anytime. We will also try to provide cookies and hot apple cider as refreshments while our parents "shop."
Then, consider being a part of one of these Toy Stores. Lots of volunteers are needed! Choose from one of the Toy Stores below and call the contact person to volunteer. (We need loaders, toy store assistants, counselors,desk workers and gift wrappers.) We are asking people to work in 3 hour increments.
Central Toy Store - December 6 & 7
Karen Taylor, Contact (759-7622 or 414-0812)
Stokes County Toy Store - December 9, 10, 11
Jimmy Caparolie, Contact (368-4907)
East Forsyth Toy Store - December 11
Rick Warden, Contact (816-1925)
We will be bringing the toys down from the attic at the PMBA Resource Center on Sunday, November 28, from 6 - 8:30 PM. All children in PMBA congregations, first - sixth grade, are invited to help! After we bring down the toys, we will have a Pizza Party! Call and let us know how many to expect from your church so that we can plan adequately for refreshments (759-7622).
We will begin our inventory process on Monday, November 29 as well as our setup for the Central Toy Store. Volunteers are needed to help from 10 AM - 1 PM on Monday, Tuesday, and/or Wednesday. We will also be decorating the office on that Monday. Call Karen (759-7622 or 414-0812) if you can help.
Remember, you can bring the toys through December 10 to the PMBA Resource Center. We hope that the bulk will come by December 3, so that we can prepare for our first Toy Store - December 6 & 7 at the PMBA Resource Center. Then, all leftover toys will be sent to the other two Toy Stores.
If you have anyone in your church needing assistance this year, it is very important to contact us right away. You can still shop confidentially for the families, or they can apply themselves and pick out their own toys.
We need lots of gift wrapping paper. This year we plan to gift wrap for our parents. So, if you have some left over from last year or can drop by the Dollar Store for a roll or two, please drop the paper off at the PMBA Resource Center.
Let us not forget this opportunity to share the love of Jesus Christ, with toys for our children in need, with smiles and warm wishes for all, and the sharing of the Gospel with each parent that crosses our threshold. If you have any devotional books or Bibles to donate, please bring them by the PMBA office for the next several months. We use them with our Fair Minitry and with our 3 Baptist Toy Stores! Thank you for making this a priority on your Christmas List this year. Together, we can put smiles on a lot of children's faces and touch the hearts of lots of parents who are discouraged and anxious.
|