'We just try to help people'

Bloomsburg University is once again working with the Marine Corps in the annual Toys for Tots campaign, which starts every year in mid November until Christmas. It is especially important this year, as it is in memory of Cynthia Fisher, who was dedicated to this worthwhile cause. According to Ms. Kim Schmitz, the University has been participating in this cause for approximately five years and for three of them, they've received the Coordinator Award due to their effort of getting volunteers, collecting the toys from various drop off areas (Bloomsburg, Berwick, Millville, Shamokin), and sorting and packaging them. On Tuesday and Thursday evenings around 5:00 p.m., members of the Supervisory Roundtable and volunteers from BU meet at CVS in Danville and travel to the warehouse in Lewisburg where the sorting and packaging occurs. In addition to BU, volunteers from other universities are aiding the cause to make an effort. Ms. Pauline Roberts, a retired Marine and the coordinator of the process at the Lewisburg warehouse, helps in the gathering of volunteers as well. While at the warehouse, members of the Supervisory Roundtable some of which include Norm Manney, a retired Marine who helps in all aspects of the Toys for Tots program, Dr. Robert Wislock, Jimmy Ulshafer, Jill Bond, and Schmitz and other volunteers sort the toys by gender, age groups (babies to teenagers--18 years old) and by what toys are "stocking stuffers", Schmitz said. Then, they're given a slip of paper with the child's first name only (as this is an anonymous process), age, and five or six toys that they really want and the volunteers find those toys and put them in bags. Ms. Roberts has the complete information of the families in need, retrieving them from places like the Salvation Army, daycare centers and churches in five counties. Then, when all the toys have been packaged, they re-stock the warehouse with more toys for the next group of volunteers that comes in. According to Schmitz, this year, each child will get one expensive item and then two smaller gifts. Also, all children will get a game, coloring book and a grocery bag of "stocking stuffers," which may include stuffed animals, plastic toys and other small toys. In the past, children received bikes, DVD players, Play Stations, footballs, basketballs, scarves, mittens, baby dolls, skateboards, make-up, and backpacks. Last year, they gave out toys to approximately 4,000 children, said Schmitz. "There isn't a goal we try to reach every year; we just try to help people." This year, BU needs more volunteers to help set out boxes for toys at the different drop off areas, collect the toys and sort and package them, instead of receiving donations of money for the Toys for Tots foundation, although donations usually collect $1,000-2,000 for the TFT foundation, according to Schmitz. People can also buy new, unwrapped toys that aren't guns or religious in nature and drop them off at boxes found in the Student Services Center (SSC), Waller Administrative Building (WAB), the maintenance building, residence halls or by contacting Schmitz at (570) 389-5107. This year, the greatest need is toys for babies and teenagers. In addition, if people want to volunteer their time to go to the warehouse in Lewisburg, they can contact Ms. Schmitz and she will inform them of who will be driving there, or if they want to drive themselves, she will give them the location of the warehouse. As of now, the warehouse has no "real address" because of safety reasons, but it is located two miles from Bucknell University on Route 11 and Route 15. Ms. Schmitz also said that volunteers can stay for how ever long they want, as they typically stay no later than 9:00-9:30 p.m., and there is usually a meal provided, something like pizza or pasta, as this is the time (5:00-6:00 p.m.) when most people eat dinner.