In Lowndes County homes, Sunday will be the end to a hectic season of giving and receiving.
At the Columbus Police Department, Thursday was the climactic ending to its annual Christmas Toy Drive.
The drive, in its fifth year, ended with the toy giveaway, the bow on the present that signifies a month of hard work from CPD staff and volunteers and generosity from many local residents.
A total of 302 Lowndes County children — from toddlers to teenagers — were on the CPD’s list of good boys and girls who deserve another reason to smile on Christmas Day.
Thanks to generous Lowndes County residents, those reasons will be under the Christmas tree.
“This is a program we do to help people with Christmas while they’re down,” Columbus Community Relations Officer Rhonda Sanders said. Financial times are tough, she said, and Lowndes County is not immune to that. The program helps low-income families or parents who were laid off or are having trouble finding a job.
“And then next year they might be up and someone else might be unemployed, and they can give back to help,” Sanders said.
“That is the ultimate goal: to receive help one year and give help the next,” she added.
Toys ranging from bicycles to basketballs filled the hallways of the CPD, and one by one parents and grandparents who signed up came to receive their bag of toys. The hallways were packed at 8 a.m. but slowly emptied.
This year’s event had some alterations from last year. According to Sanders, last year, the CPD only collected bicycles to give to families, and there weren’t enough.
“We gave over 300 bikes,” Sanders said. “Some didn’t receive one. So, we gave those families bikes this year, and the families who received one last year we gave toys to this year.”
Ternesha Roby had a bag filled with toys ranging from teddy bears to footballs for her sons, Jatiquist, 5, and O’Bryant, 2.
Catina Muse left with a bicycle for her daughter, Ashley, 16, will be the happy recipient of the large new toy.
“She’ll be happy to get it,” Muse said.
Kanisha Harris had a bag topped off with a basketball for her 11-year-old son, Juran.
“He likes all kinds of sports,” she said.
Dozens of people were in and out of the police department Thursday morning, all happy to take home presents for their children or grandchildren. Volunteers from the Columbus Municipal Court Division helped hand out presents. And about 60 people who hadn’t signed up for the giveaway, still were able to take home gifts.
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