Drive-through toy giveaway adapted for pandemic times

HALLS

© Ali James/Shopper News
Halls High School student volunteers assist choral teacher Elizabeth Williams with their annual holiday gift program. December 2020.

Halls High School gives Christmas to 53 families

Ali James, Shopper News

Choral teacher Elizabeth Williams can be forgiven for feeling overwhelmed. With one day to go, just five gifts had been dropped off for the school’s annual holiday gift program.

Twenty-four hours later, the Halls High school choral room was filled with student volunteers, boxes of food and enough wrapped presents to make the holidays brighter for 53 families.

© Ali James/Shopper News
Halls High School choral teacher Elizabeth Williams has been overseeing the school’s holiday gift program for families in need since 2009. The project takes up much of her space and time when she is not preparing her students for choral performances. December 2020.

“Today was the final day to turn in gifts,” said Williams. “It has been harder to get donations, not because they weren’t willing, but it’s been a hard year for so many.”

The Halls High community blesses families every holiday.

In addition to gifts from their children’s wish list, each family receives three boxes of groceries, a turkey and a $60 Food City gift certificate.

Seeing a need and filling it at Christmas   

Williams has overseen the holiday gift program since she took it over from Judy Fugate in 2009. The choral teacher juggles it with the Madrigals and choirs’ packed schedule of Christmas activities.

“When I find a student who appears to be in need, I call each family and ask what they need and make a list,” said Williams. The identity of the family is kept confidential. “I’m the only one who knows who they are, and sometimes our social worker.”

Families, area churches, teachers, the cheer team and other groups adopt a family and Williams emails them an anonymous gift list. Then a week before distribution they buy, wrap and drop off the gifts for Williams to distribute.

© Ali James/Shopper News
Catherine York helps distribute food drive donations into boxes at Halls High School on Dec. 11, 2020.

The teenagers on the list mostly need clothing and toiletries. While a gaming system might be out of the question, gift cards for GameStop and other stores are popular.

The food drive and gift program kicked off at the end of October. “You can see here the red marks on the floor that we use to socially distance my class are now covered in the donations organized by family,” she said.

Halls High student leaders pitch in   

Senior Chuck Moody, a member of the student leadership class, said it is his first year involved in the program. “I was so glad to do something for the community, it felt really good and it was fun,” he said. “It has been harder to find volunteer opportunities this year because of COVID.”

© Ali James/Shopper News
Aloria (CQ) Beason helps organize gifts for families in need at Halls High School on Dec. 11, 2020.

Senior cheerleader Abbey Hopkins said she has helped purchase gifts on behalf of the cheer team for the past four years, but this was the first time she has been able to see everything gift wrapped and ready for collection. “We usually buy toys, and it is nice to see everybody volunteering,” said Hopkins.

“It has been harder to find toys, they have either been sold out or there is not a good selection,” said senior Grace Lawson, who is also a member of the cheer team. “We usually adopt a family. I have not seen it piled up like this. We posted on social media and found that even people outside the school helped with donations.”

‘We can help a whole family’    

For many years, the Math Honors Society oversaw the food drive, but it gradually fell by the wayside, according to principal Spencer Long. “Since we usually have pep rallies and winter formal projects, this gives the leadership class the chance to do something socially distanced,” said Long.

“I think that we have more families that are taking advantage of it, because it is anonymous,” continued Long. “The way Ms. Williams manages it ensures that it is completely anonymous. We don’t just adopt one kid, we can help a whole family.

“It is a hard year for everybody,” he said. “For the students it gives them the ability to donate their time and money, and it just feels good.”

SOUTH KNOXVILLE

Drive-through toy giveaway adapted for pandemic times

Ali James, Shopper News

After months of tinkering with and adapting toys to make them accessible for all children, Spark usually throws a big Toy Tech party at the Knoxville Museum of Art. The annual event is a dinner, choral concert with arts, crafts and activities for all ages.

© Ali James/Shopper News
Santa, Spark executive director Mary Thom Adams and Issac Merkle, president of Knox Makers, hand out adapted toys in South Knoxville on Dec. 10, 2020. Adams said their parking lot lent itself to a drive-through event. “If you are determined to do something, you come up with a different way to do it and that makes it all the more sweeter.”

Because of COVID-19 restrictions and the fragility of their guests, the Toy Tech 2020 party plans had to be scrapped. Instead, Santa and helpers from Spark and Knox Makers held a drive-through celebration Dec. 10 to hand deliver giftwrapped toys.

“We make a big deal out of it,” said Mary Thom Adams, Spark’s executive director. “Last year we had really special crafts, adaptive video gaming, 3D printing pens; we try to make it about technology and make it fun.”

© Ali James/Shopper News
Bowen McCarter receives a gift from Santa for his 1-year-old brother at the Toy Tech drive-through event at Spark on Dec. 10, 2020.

When they were deciding how they would replace the party, Adams said she realized that getting the toys into the hands of children was the most important thing, not the party.

“We started out with the goal to adapt 100 toys,” said Adams. “We met it and had to cut the registration off. Next year, we will have to make more toys.”

Even the toy adapters adapt   

Knox Makers adapts toys in their space under Spark’s offices. Issac Merkle, president of Knox Makers, said they had to cancel their usual festive in-person workshop sessions, where they watch holiday movies and hang out while they work on the toys.

© Ali James/Shopper News
Spark executive director Mary Thom Adams holds an animated plush unicorn that was adapted by Knox Makers and Spark as a holiday gift. Dec. 10, 2020. “The gifts are just as much for the adults as they are for the children,” said Adams.

This year, volunteers were invited to collect toys and everything they needed to adapt them at home.

Toys that were adapted for the children included Minnie Mouse Sparkle and Sing, animated Mama Llama, animated Happy Penguin, Light-up Kitty and PJ Masks Bubble Blastin’ Machine. Volunteers rewired and modified the original switches and rerouted them to a more accessible and larger switch pad. This gives the children the option to activate the toy with their elbow if they need to.

© Ali James/Shopper News
Makayla Glenn receives an adapted Minnie Mouse Sparkle and Sing at the Toy Tech event on Dec. 10, 2020.

“Each year different toys are desirable,” said Merkle. “This year we bought some toys to experiment and see if we could adapt them, and we will screen them again next year. In maker spaces it’s nice to work together and collaborate with someone with complimentary skills to make something you couldn’t do alone.”

“We probably chose to adapt fewer toys because we couldn’t have in-person classes to teach (volunteers) how to do the adaptions,” said Adams. “So we tried to pick five to six toys and had a small adaption night to make sure they were good toys to adapt.”

‘A really sweet effort’ 

This year, Adams learned to convert some toys herself. “A little team of our staff finished up about 15-20 toys and it was a really sweet effort. We are just sorry we can’t have the party this year.”

The Foothills Craft Guild helped out, sewing the cloth covering for the toys’ switches. “It has been a community effort,” said Adams. “We have had help from some other organizations: Emory Valley Center, Friends of Tennessee’s Babies with Special Needs and Tennessee Early Intervention System have been sending out our fliers so people know about the toys.”

© Ali James/Shopper News
Santa and a volunteer greet children and hand out gifts at Spark on Dec. 10, 2020. From mask and glove wearing to sanitizing all of the toys, organizers made sure the event was safe.

The front of Spark’s building, just off Chapman Highway, was decorated with a tree and a table filled with gifts. Santa was there to talk to the children as they drove up, and some staff dressed as elves for the holiday event.

Next year, Adams wants to expand Toy Tech. “We hope to do a toy lending library and also try and expand the age group and have older toys,” she said. “There are certainly no toy lending libraries for adaptive toys in Knoxville, so we are looking forward to seeing how that goes.”

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OPINION

A rare holiday gift

Leslie Snow, Shopper News

He’s sitting at the kitchen table studying his breakfast when I walk through the door. “Good morning, Dad,” I say, gently rubbing his back. He looks up at me, blankly, trying to find the words that will mask the truth. He doesn’t know who I am, at least not today.

“Good to see you,” he says in his business voice. “I hope you and your family are well.”

“We’re doing quite well, thank you,” I say, playing along. I smile sadly then take a different approach.

“You’re my family, Dad. It’s me, your daughter, Leslie.” He looks up and smiles, but it’s the kind of smile you give to strangers. His face is placid and sweet but there’s no recognition in it. I give him a quick kiss on the cheek and grab his empty mug. “Why don’t I get you another cup of coffee,” I say, softly. He doesn’t reply. He just picks up a napkin and wipes his mouth before taking a bite of toast.

I help my mom sort through some papers in her office. I hear my dad’s walker clacking along the tile floor and look up to see him staring through the doorway. “What are you guys doing in there?” he wants to know.

I tell him we’re going through old papers and throwing out what we don’t need. He stares at me, but he doesn’t reply. He’s trying to process the information, but something doesn’t compute. “What are guys doing in there?” he asks again. I repeat my answer, hoping the words will stick, but he just shakes his head. “There’s so much I don’t understand.”

I lead him to the couch and turn on the TV. “Why don’t I turn on Animal Planet for a few minutes. Mom and I are going to work a while longer.”

“OK,” he says, flatly. By the time I find the right channel, he’s fallen asleep. I cover him with an afghan and go back to helping my mom.

Later in the afternoon I put dinner in the oven. He hears me in the kitchen and calls out. “What’s going on in there?” “I’m just heating up dinner for you and mom,” I answer. That seems to confuse him. “Is this my house?” “Yes,” I say, “this is your house. You and mom sold your house in Ohio and now you live in Tennessee, near me.”

He scratches his head and stares blankly. “There’s so much I don’t understand,” he says again.

I look at my watch and see that it’s getting late. I give my mom a kiss goodbye and walk over to my father to tell him I’m leaving.

“Where are you rushing off to?” he wants to know. “I’m having dinner at my house, today.” I respond. “Your dinner is in the oven.”

Then, unexpectedly, he reaches for me. His hands are warm and soft though they’re gnarled with age. “Leslie,” he says, clearly. “Thank you for everything. I’m happy to be a part of your life.”

I let the rare moment of recognition fill me. “You’re very welcome dad,” I say with emotion. “I’m happy to be part of your life, too.”

And just like that he’s my father again. His eyes are focused; his smile is full of mischief. “Too bad you have to cook and leave,” he says, with a grin.

I laugh and hug him tight. For the moment, he remembers that he’s my father and I’m his daughter. And this holiday season, when the world seems so fragile, it’s the only gift that matters.

Happy holidays, Knoxville.

Leslie Snow may be reached at snow [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Shopper News blog: Drive-through toy giveaway adapted for pandemic times