Over 200 Union County children will receive toys this Christmas thanks to the Elkhorn Media Group/Les Schwab Toy Drive

LA GRANDE – Thanks to the huge generosity of the community, over 200 kids in Union County will receive gifts this Christmas.

The annual Elkhorn Media Group Toy Drive concluded this week in La Grande, and it was another huge success.

Organizers Tori Gandy and Shannon Weidemann with Elkhorn Media Group, send thanks to partners, Les Schwab Tire Center of La Grande, Carpet One Floor and Home (La Grande), and Ed Staub and Sons (Island City).

Weidemann says, “It is truly with the help of these businesses that we can make this event such a success.  These partners open up their businesses each year and allow citizens to drop off their donations. Giving people so many places to drop off donations really helps with collections.”

Thanks to the use of the Presbyterian Friendship Center in La Grande we were able to lay out all of the donations we received and compare that to the number of kids who would be receiving toys.  Doing this means we can get an accurate count of how many toys each child would get.  As in years past, Weidemann noted, we had a huge need for older kids, mainly 11 years old and up.  Beyond the donations we received from the community, Les Schwab Tire Center went shopping before distribution to fill in the gaps in donations for those older age groups. Without that extra donation, some of those kids may not have gotten anything.”

Representatives from the La Grande School District, C.A.R.E., and Northeast Oregon Housing Authority and Department of Human Services then came in and “shopped” for the families they serve who are in need. 

Special thanks to the Presbyterian Friendship Center for the use of their building.  All involved community partners and the kindness of the community.

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Elkhorn Media Group