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Locals urged to join<br>Christmas toy drive

Four seniors at Williams High School have taken it upon themselves to help provide Christmas bounty for local youth.

“We’re setting up toy collection boxes in all of the third-period classes,” said Telaya Jones. “It’s all about helping people.”

Jones is working in conjunction with Julia Paredes, Andrea Barnes and Jamie Mainville.

The team has made the toy drive, which is extra credit for their senior government class, into a competition.

“Whoever gets the highest toy percentage per class, gets a free pizza party,” said Barnes. “We’re expecting a really good outcome.

“We’re going to collect the toys and give them to the Williams Police Department so they can give them to kids in town.”

Mike Russell, officer with the WPD who runs the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program at the Williams Elementary/Middle School, said the deparment is taking an active role in making sure families in town have a great holiday season.

“All the toys donated in Williams will be designated for Williams,” he said. “Plus, if people donate an unwrapped gift worth $5 at Pizza Factory or the police department they will receive a gift certificate for a mini pizza.”

Each year, WPD participates in the W. Steven Martin toy drive, which is the Northern Arizona Law Enforcement Holiday Toy-Drive.

Last year, WPD delivered presents to 30 families in town.

“This toy drive is basically for all of Coconino County,” Russell said.

The toy drive was started 17 years ago by Martin, a Phoenix deejay, with the help of Valley of the Sun police departments. Flagstaff became involved in 1998. That year, officers collected 4,000 toys and 900 kids enjoyed extra Christmas bounty. Two years ago, the tally was 5,500-6,000.

A big supporter of the cause is Red Rock Communications, which owns KOLT 107.5, COOL 96.7 and EAGLE 105.1 in Flagstaff. This year, WPD is again teaming up with the Flagstaff PD and Red Rock for the annual toy drive.

Officers from both police departments will be at the Flagstaff Mall now through Dec. 21 accepting unwrapped toys and gifts for children. Once the toys are collected, the officers get to play Santa.

In Williams, each officer will have three or four families they will adopt for Christmas. Each child in the families will get two or three toys.

“We’ll pick out the toys for each child in the family, wrap then up and drop them off right before Christmas,” Russell said.

The last day of the toy drive at WHS is Dec. 13. The toys will then be counted, and the class with the highest percentage will enjoy a pizza party on Dec. 14.

“We think it’s really good for the town,” said Barnes. “It’s really suffering right now and when the school pitches in, it shows we care.”

Anyone who wants to donate a toy can stop by the office at high school or elementary/middle school, Pizza Factory, Safeway, city hall, WPD or call 635-4461.


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