ABOVE: Danville Area Toys for Tots coordinator Gabi Ingold and volunteer Felicia Davis.
The new Danville Area Toys for Tots campaign is underway. Saturday (Oct 11th) at 2300 N. Vermilion in Danville (the old Carle building which is now the District 118 North Campus); you may have noticed a Santa Claus balloon; or even better, two live donkeys waiting to say hello. If either got your attention, that was the idea. Gabi Ingold is the new coordinator for Danville Area Toys for Tots; which includes Vermilion County in Illinois, and Fountain and Warren Counties in Indiana. She replaces Megan Montgomery, who passed away this year. Ingold says Saturday’s event was a memorial toy drive honoring both Montgomery, and John Zarn.
AUDIO: John Zarn brought Toys for Tots to the area. And then Megan did a fantastic job for the last six years, supplying countless toys to families in need every single year. She gave it her all. And it’s my honor to continue her legacy.
Asher Montgomery poses between two visiting donkeys during Saturday’s Toys for Tots drive at 2300 N. Vermilion.
Ingold says the mission gets more challenging every year. But signing up to either donate or receive distribution is easy.
AUDIO: We have more kids sign up than in the years before, and less funds. So, we’re trying to be creative and start a little bit early. Any day during the week you can go on the Danville Toys for Tots website. You can just put that in Google, and it takes you straight to the Danville website. And my name is on there, and then there’s a donate button on the top; and also a sign up button, where people who need to sign up or are in need of toys can just click on the button. And it takes you straight to the sign up page; and you can just fill it all in, and I’ll take care from there.
The next Danville Area Toys for Tots drive will be at the Danville Flyers hockey game, Saturday October 18th at the David S. Palmer Arena. Doors open at 6 PM.
