CARES members collecting toys for area children

Michelle Warren, The Chronicle, Willimantic, Conn.
·2 min read

Nov. 16—WINDHAM — Members of Windham- Willimantic CARES are collecting toys to give to children for Christmas. The toy drive is going on now through Dec. 17.

Unwrapped toys can be dropped off at the following locations: the Franco-American Civic & Social Club of Windham at 116 Club Rd. in Windham; Douglas Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center at 103 North Rd. in Windham; Hoppy Days Diner at 931 Main St. in Willimantic; A Cupcake for Later at 798 Main St. in Willimantic; the Eastern Connecticut State University Police Department station at 44 Charter Oak Rd. in Willimantic; Verizon Wireless at 361 Boston Post Rd. #6 in North Windham; Fit Shack at 920a Main St. in Willimantic and the town clerk's office at town hall, 979 Main St.

"We've had a lot of people who are stepping up and offering to be dropoff points," said Windham-Willimantic CARES co-chairperson Dawn Niles, who is also the Windham Town Council president.

United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry, a union, donated $ 500 toward the toy drive and a construction union is expected to make a donation as well.

The donation boxes will be collected by Dec. 17.

Toys will be distributed on multiple days, starting on Dec. 12 in "Santa's Village," which will be in Bellingham Auditorium at town hall.

In prior years, the toy distribution was on only one day.

This year, however, more families than ever have signed up.

" We're doing it a little differently than we had in the past because we have over 400 families signed up and it would be too much for us to do in one day," Niles said.

Individuals who have registered will be contacted with a day and a time to pick-up toys.

The Willimantic Fire Department will collect toys at BJ's Wholesale Club in Willimantic from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Dec. 10.

The South Windham, North Windham and Windham Center fire departments will collect toys at WalMart in North Windham from 8 a. m. to 5 p.m. on Dec. 10.

Windham- Willimantic CARES will also receive toys from State Police Troop K's stuff- a- cruiser event. Information about

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