Thursday morning the FBLA Elves, Scio Central School juniors and seniors packed up bagsful of toys, gift cards and more to deliver to 92 kids and teens who will find gifts under the Christmas tree this year thanks to them and some generous donations.
“Numbers were a bit down this year. Four families opted out of the program, saying they didn’t need it, and donors sent their donations in early. We were in great shape,” explained Scio teacher/FBLA Advisor Dan Childs who has headed up the program for three decades.
This year the FBLA had help from members of the National Honor Society, The Allegany County Area Foundation the Scio Lions Club and Otis-Eastern Services, local donors and donors from Texas and Pennsylvania who attended Scio school and local churches. The West Coast musical group The Wrecks, featuring Nick Anderson who has siblings who attend Scio Central School gave a $1,000 donation and an acoustic guitar. The FBLA also had Toys for Tots barrels in local stores and businesses
“Each year the students write thank you notes to that year’s donors and I think that helps next year’s donations,” Childs said. The FBLA Toys for Tots program received almost $5,000 in donations. The goal was $3,000.
Childs said when we started 30 years ago there were only 13 kids on the list. They have had as many as 150. This year’s number is about average.
Childs said the program has become fined tuned over the years with his wife, Carrie Childs and Kim Walsh personally contacting the recipient families. Then Dan and Carrie purchase the toys, concentrating on educational and STEM related toys to fill in any gaps. Jayson Chandler, Scio Central School director of Transportation works out the logistics and delivery route along with the kids and drivers.
Any funds or toys left over are put in storage for the next year.
There are 62 members of the FBLA and those who weren’t involved with the packing, they helped with baking for the annual bake sale held at the annual Christmas concerts.
Childs said that the FBLA students get more out of the program than the children who receive the gifts. “It is a good experience for the FBLA kids. They get to learn what Christmas is really supposed to be about.”
In addition to the above contributors the FBLA thanked the following for their donation to the 2019 Toys for Tots Program: the Allentown and Scio Methodist churches, the Potter, Newton, Rigby, Lounsberry, Astry, Emrick, McArdle, Kinney ,Nickerson, Wilson and Haas families, and the Jones Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and all the toy donators.