Toy drives rolling out

Staff report

The Salvation Army has established three locations for angel trees to help provide toys for children this Christmas.

The angel trees are at North Plains Mall, the Curry County Courthouse and Diamonds Evermore. Toys can be dropped off with their tags at any of those locations, or the Clovis/Curry County Chamber of Commerce.

Additionally, residents can bring unwrapped toys for children 1-12 years old to the Salvation Army, which will then match the gift to a child.

“This is my first year in Clovis, but we have signed up 225 families," Salvation Army Director Kelly Berggren said. “We need gifts for 500 children this year. That is probably four times larger than what we’ve done in the past, so we really need community support on this.”

Berggren asks gifts be turned in by Dec. 12 to allow for distribution Dec. 16-18.

Erinn Burch, executive director for the United Way of Eastern New Mexico, asks community members remember to shop for children ages 10-12, because the age range is often overlooked.

For information, contact the Salvation Army at 762-3801.

In other non-profit toy drives:

• The Matt 25 Hope Center is taking toy donations any time before Christmas Day for its toy giveaway where families are referred by public schools. Information: 763-4400.

• The Lighthouse Mission is in need of 1,000 toys for its annual Christmas event. It asks for toys for any age child be brought unwrapped to the mission at 407 L Casillas Blvd. by Dec. 12. Information: 769-7775.