Toy Giveaway At Fairgrounds Includes New Bicycles, Laptops

The toy giveaway run by CCS  at the Home and Family Arts Building at the Kosciusko County fairgrounds began today and continues Wednesday. The program continues until  9 tonight, and will run from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday.

CCS uses three sources of gifts. In addition to ABATE – American Bikers Aimed Toward Education –  they also provide new gifts purchased through money raised from a massive consignment sale and support from Toys for Tots.

“It’s been wonderful,” said James Dawson, county representative for ABATE.

“We had two grants this year. I think it’s been one of the best years we’ve had, and this is our 30th year.”

Walmart supplies the grants, which are used to buy the gifts at Walmart.

In addition to 30 bikes, ABATE made available five laptops and an assortment of other gifts.

CCS conducted a two-day consignment sale to generate more money to buy new gifts.

Amy Pitt, who has overseen the toy giveaway for CCS for 25 years, said 165 families brought in a total of 19,401 toys for the consignment sale.

Tiffany Ralston, secretary for the county ABATE organization, has been participating for 10 years.

She helped unload bikes and gifts at the Home and Family Arts Building on Monday night.

“I?love it. This is the best time of the year,” Ralston said. “Having our party, getting to go shopping and seeing the smiles on their faces and knowing it’s going to good places.”