Generous Coloradans brave chilly temps to take part in Together for Colorado Toy Drive Collection Day
CBS News Colorado's Together for Colorado Toy Drive collection day has wrapped up after a full day of generous Coloradans braving chilly temperatures to donate to those in need.
While Thursday's collection day event is over, the toy drive is ongoing and will run through Christmas Eve. The donations will go to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver and will help the children who go to the clubs have a more memorable holiday season. Other toy donations will go toward future parties where toys are given out.
CBS Colorado evening news anchors Michael Spencer and Karen Leigh were out at the King Soopers at Yale & Colorado (2750 South Colorado Boulevard) in Denver to welcome in some big donations from the community Thursday afternoon and evening.
The duo kept the momentum flowing after CBS Colorado Mornings anchors Brian Flores and Michelle Griego kicked off the toy collection day and welcomed in big donations from Viewhouse, the Optimist Club of South Monaco, Suncor, South Metro Denver Realtor Association and more.
As Coloradans came out to donate, they also were able to meet a few of the CBS News Colorado reporters who were out assisting in the toy drive. CBS News Colorado reporter Gabriela Vidal was at the King Soopers at 100 N. 50th Avenue in Brighton, Karen Morfitt was posted at the location on 7984 W. Alameda in Lakewood, Tori Mason was at the location at 25701 E. Smoky Hill Road in Aurora and Olivia Young greeted Coloradans at the location on 8673 S. Quebec Street in Highlands Ranch.
"We provide a safe, fun, inspiring place for kids in kindergarten through 12th grade with afterschool and summer programming," said Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver spokeswoman Carrie Zwanzig on Thursday. "They can build healthy lifestyles, they can get mental health support and we do a lot of fun activities for kids across metro Denver."
She added, "We are so pleased to have this community-wide effort where people across metro Denver are coming together to bring 28,000 toys for the 28,000 kids we served last year," she said. "We want one toy for every kid in our club."
The donations came in aplenty from Coloradans for the Together for Colorado Toy Drive, with bins being overfilled with lots of toys for kids to eventually choose, from including, bikes, sports gear, remote control cars, stuffed animals and more.
Shoppers who were unaware of the toy drive also made an effort to make sure that they shopped around the store for toys they could donate to those in need on Thursday.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver is celebrating the opening of several new clubs, bringing the total number of clubs across the Denver metro area to 25.
The organization works across six different school districts, providing after-school care to children ages five to 18.
"We've really been able to look at areas where kids may not have positive outlets, safe places to go after school and partner with school districts to provide that Boys & Girls Club experience to thousands more kids this school year," said Erin Porteous, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver.
One aspect of the Together for Colorado Toy Drive that is particularly heartwarming is the number of people and businesses who've all made it their own. Every year, there are a number of individuals who've bought toys all year long just to donate them for this special occasion.
Businesses and organizations have collected in their offices among their employees and customers with toys as they show up in cars and vans filled, ready to put smiles on faces.
Santa Claus himself also dropped by the locations to see if the bins were overflowing. He chatted with CBS News Colorado and said he was proud to see bins filling up with donations. You, too, can help out and make a donation to help the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver.
There are many King Soopers stores across the Denver metro area where you can make a toy donation. Get the full list at CBSColorado.com/toydrive/.
