Jim Phebus

The date for the big toy giveaway by Lehigh Community Services is tentatively set for December 19, but the times have yet to be decided, said Charlotte Rae Nicely, the agency’s executive director today.

“We have the largest group of kids ever to get toys from our agency,” Nicely said. “When we opened up for registration, we had filled up in two days. We are planning to hand out Christmas toys to 350 children in Lehigh whose parents are unable to provide gifts because of the down economy,” she said.

“We really appreciate all the dozen or so organizations and individuals who have come through for us this year. They are going to make Christmas a happy one for several families here in Lehigh,”

Nicely said.

The agency has been giving away toys for about two decades to area families that needed help

Rosanna Alvarado

“Again without the people who gave and without the 15 or so helpers, this wouldn’t be possible,” Nicely said.

The cutoff for applications for toys had to be moved up because so many families applied for help this year,” Nicely said.

While some believe the economy nation-wide may be improving slightly, it is still bad in Lehigh Acres and because of that, not as many businesses were able to give this year as they have before.

“But everything we give out will have been donated. In addition to the locals in Lehigh, we got gifts from the United Auto workers in Fort Myers.

“They provided more than 200 gifts for us to give away,” she said.

Diane Browrigg

Nicely noted that it breaks her heart that the organization can’t give more but they can only give what they have collected.

“You know a child’s smile on Christmas morning is priceless and we wish we could do so much more because there is such a need out there,” she said.

Nicely also gave a lot of credit to those who volunteer to sort out the toys, put them in bags according to age and gender.

“Sometimes I see them laughing and carrying on as they are sorting out the toys. They may even be playing with some of them to make sure they are working,” she laughed.

She said that as she has been told, other organizations in Lehigh that are giving away toys have just about filled their lists, too.

“But it is disheartening when there are some you just can’t help,” she said again.

Toys will be provided for children between the ages of one to 12 years of age. When the families arrive on the toy giveaway day, they will be asked for a photo ID and it will be matched with a list of families and children who are eligible this year to get gifts.

“It’s always a joyous occasion on the day we hand out our toys and the families all seem so appreciative. But that is what we all are here for, to help each other in times of need. Without a lot of help from Lehigh businesses and friends, we couldn’t do it,” Nicely said.