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News from the Keweenaw Peninsula December 15, 2001 Text © 2001 Michele Anderson

Sheriff's toy drive to aid Keweenaw families

EAGLE RIVER -- Keweenaw County Sheriff Ron Lahti says local donations to his "No Kid Without a Toy for Christmas" drive will all go to help Keweenaw County families. While his office has already collected "quite a pile" of toys, including five bicycles and several pairs of snowshoes, the drive will continue through Friday, Dec. 21. Donors may still drop off toys at the Sheriff's Department in Eagle River or at Slim's Café in Mohawk.

Keweenaw County Sheriff Ron Lahti adds a new pair of snowshoes to the pile of donations for his "No Kid Without a Toy for Christmas" drive. Toys can be dropped off at the Sheriff's Department in Eagle River or at Slim's Café in Mohawk through Friday, Dec. 21. (Photo courtesy Keweenaw County Sheriff's Department)

Lahti said the number of families needing toys, determined by family income, is up slightly from last year. As of Friday, Dec. 14, the age group most in need was the 10-to-13 age bracket, he noted.

"Last year we helped 57 children, and this year we have 65 children in need of help," Lahti said. "Cash donations are helpful, too. They allow us -- when we get through sorting the items -- to go shopping for gifts to fill in the gaps."

Keweenaw County Courthouse employees help the Sheriff with the last-minute shopping for additional, needed toys. The small population in Keweenaw County makes it possible for each needy child to receive a gift. In fact, Sheriff Lahti delivers the gifts in person.

An Open House at the Eagle Harbor Inn earlier this week resulted in hundreds of toys donated for the Sheriff's drive. George Hite's Eagle Harbor Web* reports the Inn was packed for the Open House. Co-owners Mary and Dick Probst previously held the party to collect donations for the Salvation Army, but since last year they have offered the donated toys to the Sheriff's drive, now in its third year.

Kelly Bryant, left, Rich Probst and Mary Probst pose with hundreds of toys collected for the Sheriff's drive at an Open House earlier this week at the Eagle Harbor Inn. (Photo courtesy George Hite)

The Houghton County Sheriff's Department and the Adams Township Fire Department are also collecting toys for needy families in the local area. Drop-off locations are the Sheriff's Office and Wal-Mart in Houghton; Pamida in Calumet; and the Michigan State Police, Calumet Post, on U.S. 41. The toys do not need to be wrapped. If donors wish to wrap them, they should indicate on the outside the age of the child and whether the toy is suitable for a boy or a girl or either.

"We've got a ton of (toys) here," said Sgt. Bill Gauthier of the Houghton County Sheriff's Office, located at 403 E. Houghton Ave. in Houghton. The Houghton County Sheriff's drive also continues through Dec. 21.

Shoppers at the Pamida store in Calumet have the opportunity to donate to two gift collections in addition to the Houghton County Sheriff's drive.

Pamida has set up a "We Care Christmas Tree" for needy families in the local area of Calumet-Laurium and farther north. The tree drive extends through Wednesday, Dec. 19.

Gary Schraufnagel, Pamida manager, said the tree has tags on it -- each listing an anonymous child's age, size and gender and the item the child would like to receive as a gift. Customers can pull off a tag, shop for the gift and return it to Pamida, where Girl Scouts of Linda Johnson's Calumet troop will wrap it with wrapping donated by Pamida.

"They do a terrific job," Schraufnagel said of the Girl Scouts' gift wrapping.

Pamida also has a collection box for the "Toys for Tots," sponsored by the United States Marine Corps Reserve, Keweenaw Detachment, No. 1016

For more information, call the Keweenaw County Sheriff's Office at (906) 337-0528 or the Houghton County Sheriff's Office at (906) 482-4411.

* Visit George's Eagle Harbor Web for more happenings in Eagle Harbor.