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News from the Keweenaw Peninsula December 18, 2002. Updated December 19, 2002. Text © 2002 Keweenaw Now. Photos © 2002 Keweenaw Now except where otherwise indicated.

Toys for Keweenaw families fill Courtroom in Eagle River

EAGLE RIVER -- Toys collected for Keweenaw County Sheriff Ron Lahti's "No Kid Without a Toy for Christmas" drive fill more than half of the courtroom at the Keweenaw County Courthouse as the drive nears its last day, Dec. 21.  Local donations will all go to help Keweenaw County families. Donors may still drop off toys at the Sheriff's Department in Eagle River or at Slim's Café in Mohawk.

In the Courthouse in Eagle River, Keweenaw County Sheriff Ron Lahti displays piles of toys collected for his "No Kid Without a Toy for Christmas" drive. All toys collected in Keweenaw County will go to needy Keweenaw County families. Toys are still needed for the older, 10-14 age group. (Dec. 18, 2002, photo courtesy Keweenaw County Sheriff's Dept.)

"Last year we helped 65 children, and this year we have 70 children in need of help," Sheriff Lahti said. "We’re having a good response. 70 kids is a lot, and it will take quite a bit to make a nice Christmas, but people in Keweenaw County are doing a great job to make this the kind of Christmas every kid should have. Many people are just down on their luck and that’s where we step in with this program and try to make the holidays a little brighter. Donations are coming in very strong.”

As of Tuesday, Dec. 17, the age group most in need was the 10-to-14 age bracket.

Generous cash donations have helped the Sheriff and Courthouse employees do 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 last week resulted in hundreds of toys donated for the Sheriff's drive.  Co-owners Mary and Dick Probst previously held the party to collect donations for the Salvation Army, but for the last four years they have offered the donated toys to the Sheriff's drive, now in its fourth year.*

Richard Probst, Jr., manager of the Eagle Harbor Inn, poses with some of the toys collected for the Sheriff's "No Kid Without a Toy for Christmas" drive. Many of the toys were donated at the restaurant's Open House last week. The Eagle Harbor Inn is owned by Richard's parents, Mary and Dick Probst, who have held the party for the past four years to collect donations for the toy drive.* (Dec. 17, 2002, photo by Michele Anderson)

"This time we received over 300 gifts and about $500 in cash and gift certificates," Mary Probst said. "It was a great turnout once again."

The Houghton County Sheriff's Department is also collecting toys for needy families in the local area. Drop-off locations are the Sheriff's Office at 403 E. Houghton Ave. in Houghton, Wal-Mart in Houghton and Pamida in Calumet. 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.

"Our box here in the office is full," said Houghton County Sheriff Brian McLean on Wednesday morning, Dec. 18.

He added the boxes at Wal-Mart and Pamida could use some more donations. Although the drive at the stores officially ends Saturday, Dec. 21, the Houghton County Sheriff's Office will accept donations of toys right up to Dec. 24th, Sheriff McLean noted.

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.

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