The fifth annual Christmas at Children’s Toy Drive is underway for patients at Oishei Children’s Hospital. Twelve area businesses, including seven in Lockport, are serving as donation drop-off sites.
The drive, organized by Evan Nicholson, Carissa King and Maria Villella, raises new, unwrapped toys for children spending the holiday season in the hospital, and cash to purchase $10 Tim Hortons gift cards for their parents.
The 2022 drive raised more than 250 toys and $500-plus cash for gift cards and the organizers hope to exceed those numbers this year.
That’s because they all have first-hand experience with Oishei Children’s Hospital, according to Nicholson.
“It’s crazy to say but every year, we see the continuous outpour of love and support from our community to truly help make a difference for the children and their families spending the holiday season at Oishei,” he said. “We always look forward to this toy drive because we get to see and share how much of an impact we can have to help make a difference.”
The drive is ongoing through Dec. 14 at these area businesses:
Styles on Summer Street
Blue Door Salon
A&A Beauty Supply (Lockport location)
Rugrats Daycare
Historic Palace Theatre
Waves salon
Dyan Mulvey Dance Academy
Salon in the Tower, Clarence
F45 Training, Amherst
Beauty Haus Collective, North Tonawanda
The Salon Professional Academy, Tonawanda
Graziano’s Hair Studio, Buffalo
This year’s collection will be donated to Oishei Children’s Hospital on Dec. 15, Nicholson said.
The Christmas at Children’s group is having its first-ever fundraiser on Dec. 7, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Oak Room event venue, 4185 Lake Ave. There’ll be a basket raffle, a 50/50 raffle, hors d’oeuvres, pictures with Santa, a stocking stuffing station for children, and a cash bar. For ticket information, check out the group’s event page on Facebook, “Christmas at Children’s Fundraiser.”