Williams News Logo
Grand Canyon News Logo

Trusted local news leader for Williams AZ and the Grand Canyon

Holidays come early at Nana's
Local toy store hosts fundraiser, toy drive

Karen Butler, owner of Nana’s Toy Box in Williams, said she will donate 10 percent of her proceeds during Friday night’s mixer to the Williams Food Bank.

Karen Butler, owner of Nana’s Toy Box in Williams, said she will donate 10 percent of her proceeds during Friday night’s mixer to the Williams Food Bank.

The holiday season is fast approaching for the community of Williams and one local business owner isn't wasting any time.

Karen Butler, owner of Nana's Toy Box in Williams, is planning both a fundraiser and a toy drive to help benefit the Williams community. The fundraiser will coincide with a Williams-Grand Canyon Chamber of Commerce mixer scheduled for Friday. The mixer will be held at Nana's, located along Route 66 across from Cruiser's Café, from 5 to 7 p.m. Ten percent of the night's sales will go to the local Williams Food Bank, run by residents Guy and Angie Mikkelsen. Food donations for the food bank are also welcomed during Friday's mixer. Nana's Toy Box opened July of this year. Butler also owns Gateway Cleaners on Route 66.

A toy box will be on display as well, Butler said. Interested individuals who wish to donate a toy can place it in the box to be collected by members of the Williams Food Bank. The box will be available beginning Friday and will remain at the toy store until the beginning of December.

"Being that I'm a fairly new store in Williams, I wanted the townspeople to know that I'm not just a retailer here to make some money, but I'm also a person who lives in Williams and I wanted to give back to the town," Butler said. "So I got with Angie through the chamber, was introduced to her, and we decided to introduce the toy box at my mixer."

The Williams Food Bank, she explained, will use the toys collected in the box for their annual toy drive.

"Theirs is a little different than Toys for Tots. They do it where the parents can go in there and pick out something for their family members. It's an unwrapped gift. We just thought this would be a really great opportunity in the toy store. They don't have to buy here, but they do have to have a new toy, or a new item and put it in the box. We just thought it would be a great opportunity to give back to the community."

The food bank, located at 200 South Ninth St. in Williams, offers both food and toys during the holidays. According to food bank employee Angie Mikkelsen, adults are also offered the chance to pick out a gift for themselves. She said numerous donations from local businesses help make the drive a success.

"We do a Christmas distribution of food and toys. We always have Santa Claus here. The kids come and see him and they get, usually, a coloring book and a toy. Then they go to a table and get one big toy," she said. "The adults go off to one side and fill their food box while the kids go to the other end and get to see Santa."

The bank is going on its third year, Mikkelsen said.

"We do a Thanksgiving box distribution usually about the week before Thanksgiving. Last year we did a 40 boxes for Thanksgiving."

Butler said she wanted to host a non-alcoholic mixer that would not only celebrate her new business, but also serve a more noble purpose as well.

"I wanted to do something a little bit different. I've been open for two months now and I want the townspeople to know (about it), as well as the visitors, that's why I try to keep my prices in an area where everybody should be able to afford it," Butler said. "Again, the idea came up that it's that time of the year that we all start thinking about giving back. We just thought, why not donate the sales of that evening back to the food bank? Not only is it just a mixer, but it's also an opportunity for us to introduce the food bank."

Besides a ribbon cutting, goodies will also be available to mixer attendees.

"Keep in mind, it's also a children's store, so there will be child-related food. We're going to do something fun, something where I've asked a couple of people and they've never heard of what I'm doing with the food. I'm encouraging people to bring their children. My toy store is a hand's on toy store, it's interactive. I expect the kids to work with the toys and to touch them and feel them."


Donate Report a Typo Contact