Published: September 28, 2008 11:18 am      

Rummaging for Christmas

Toy Shop holds annual two-day sale this week

DUNCAN — Heaps of used items will help warm the hearts of Duncan children this Christmas — so to speak.

Toy Shop prepares all year long for its annual fall rummage sale, collecting salable items from the community to raise funds to buy new toys for Duncan children who might not have much of a Christmas otherwise.

This year’s sale will be from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday in the north end of the Stephens County Conference Center (“the brick building”).

Donations may be taken to the fairgrounds between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Wednesday.

Kathy Snider, Toy Shop president, said the organization is grateful to the City of Duncan for use of the storage facility that enables merchandise to be collected during the year.

“Without this building, we would not have the successful rummage sale we have each year. The volunteers also wish to thank the community for its support of this event. We have more merchandise donated this year than ever before. We are so grateful for these goods and for those people who come out to shop with us,” Snider said.

Proceeds from the rummage sale will go into the endowment fund that has been established to support Toy Shop. Through 2008, Toy Shop has a dollar-for-dollar matching grant through the McCasland Foundation for money donated to the endowment fund.

“Toy Shop served more than 1,200 children last Christmas, and with rising prices and a shaky economy, there’s no reason to suspect we won’t have at least that many or more register this year. People give donations of new and good used toys all year long, and those are passed directly on to the children. The rummage sale raises money by selling donated items that are not suitable for the children but that are still useful for others in the community,” Snider said.

It’s sort of a fun recycling project where household items, clothing, toys, books, decorating materials, furniture, tools and sports equipment, and all sorts of other goods are offered at garage-sale prices to anyone who can use them. Many people in the community look forward to the fall rummage sale each year, and enjoy spending hours poring over the offerings.

Toy Shop also needs used bicycles, and volunteers to help repair them. Anyone who would like to help with this project may call Gerald Marlar at 580-252-2985 for information.

Volunteers are also needed to sew Barbie doll clothes, and to clean and dress dolls, Snider said.

Pre-registration for people wishing to register their children for the Christmas season will take place from 9 a.m. to noon and 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 13, and from 9 a.m. to noon Nov. 15 at 111 S. Ninth.

Contributions may be sent to Toy Shop, P.O. Box 206, Duncan OK 73534. “Endowment fund” should be indicated in the memo space on the check. Approximately $12,000 is still needed to reach the $200,000 goal, Snider said.

For information about Toy Shop or the rummage sale, call Snider at 255-9552 or Honor Vaughn at 255-5914.