SEQUIM — With jingle bells ringing and Christmas lights flashing from their festive hats and sweaters, volunteer elves with Sequim Community Aid helped make Christmas a little merrier for dozens of Sequim families.
Toys for Sequim Kids, an ongoing, pre-Christmas event for 70-plus years, filled the Sequim Prairie Grange with toys, games, clothes and stuffed animals Dec. 11.
Co-chairman Kathy Suta said the event went great.
“I felt we gave away more toys than last year,” she said.
Farah Durham collects two homemade dolls for her two daughters from Cindy Mckay as Mary Taylor watches. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Participants filled large sacks with items they chose with help from volunteer elves like Suta and many others.
The donations came from the community and various businesses and organizations.
Emma Menes of Sequim came with her friends Farah Durham and Sisa Morrill for the second year, hoping for toys for their six children.
“It helps a lot,” she said.
Haley Mack of Sequim enters a raffle for one of 31 bikes at Sequim Community Aid’s Toys for Sequim Kids as volunteer Curtis Alexander watches. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Bryan Adair of Sequim also came for the second year seeking items for Christmas for his four children.
“It’s the most fantastic thing,” he said.
Suta estimated the group helped at least 300 children. In 2018, 352 children received items from the event.
Organizers also raffled off 31 free bikes for children.
Nancy Garbush helps Karena Mora find stuffed animals for her three children ages 7, 12 and 14 at Toys for Sequim Kids. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
As is the tradition, parents/guardians come throughout the day from within the Sequim School District boundaries.
Children typically receive a stuffed animal, two toys, a game, a book and clothing.
Donations came from community giving trees, blanket and clothing drives, and Santa driving around town.
Bryan Adair of Sequim looks for clothes for his four children ages 1-15 with help from Nancy Garbush. Adair said it was his second time attending Toys for Sequim Kids and that “it’s the most fantastic thing.” (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Many people gave in their own ways, too, such as building bicycles or giving away dolls.
Dorie Meredith of Sequim made dolls for Seattle Children’s Hospital, but the hospital was unable to accept them because they have stuffing in them.
Co-chairman Philomena Lund said Meredith sold some at a craft fair and donated the rest to the event — about 35 dolls and 250 outfits.
Leading up to Toys for Sequim Kids, several groups and businesses work together to bring in the items for the event.
Friends, from left, Sisa Morrill, Emma Menes and Farah Durham stand together after attending Toys for Sequim Kids last week. The three moms received toys, games and more for their six children ranging in age from 4 to 12 through Sequim Community Aid. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
The event was co-chaired by Suta, Lund and Jim Davis of Sequim Community Aid.
Along with Toys for Sequim Kids, Sequim Community Aid provides year-round help with utility and rent for those in need.
Monetary donations can be mailed to Sequim Community Aid, P.O. Box 1591, Sequim, WA 98382. Checks for Toys for Sequim Kids should state “toys” on the memo line. To donate to the agency for utility assistance, leave the memo blank, organizers said.
Call Sequim Community Aid at 361-681-3731 for assistance and/or to volunteer.
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Matthew Nash is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. Reach him at mnash@sequimgazette.com.
Haley Mack looks for presents for her two children ages 2 and 12 with Cindy Titterness, a volunteer with Sequim Community Aid. Mack said she was looking for “fun stuff to do together.” (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
Organizers for Toys for Sequim Kids estimate about 300 children received toys, games and more for Christmas. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
