Once again this holiday season the Marlborough and Lloyd Police Departments sponsored annual Toy Drives to ensure that local children in need would receive gifts for Christmas.

Marlborough Head Dispatcher Jennifer VanAmburgh said they have been holding a Toy Drive for about 25 years.

“Even with the way everything was going financially in the world, everybody was very generous and lots of donations came in,” she said. “Dollar General in Milton had boxes they filled and called us to pick them up.”

VanAmburgh said for the past three years a gentleman in town, who wishes to remain anonymous, collects from his family and from several businesses in town (Mazzola Oil, Angry Chef and Brix Restaurant) to help the Toy Drive.

“He goes around on his own and gets stuff from them and showed up last Saturday with a truck full of toys. It is wonderful and is a huge help,” she said. “A lot of donations came in from generous businesses in town, and with that money I filled in the gaps and we made sure there was something for every age group.” One of her dispatchers purchased food and put together baskets that were given out to families.

VanAmburgh said the Toy Dives serve about 50 families in town.

Chief Gerald Cocozza said, “each week in December Jenifer came in and put a different idea on Facebook for families to respond to.” Jennifer added that, “I wanted to make it the season for kids, so for Elf on the Shelf I knew many families could not afford this so I had families private message me to see if they could use one and I got four families to respond. One didn’t know we had a Toy Drive and they were able to benefit during a terrible year for them, so they got Elf on the Shelf.” VanAmburgh said in the following weeks they promoted ginger bread houses and stockings filled with items for the kids in similar fashion. In addition, some runner-up prizes were given out.

Lloyd Police Chief James Janso said his department has been hosting a Toy Drive for more than 10 years.

“It slowed a little during covid, but this year is one of the best that we’ve had and hopefully a lot of kids in Highland had a good Christmas morning,” he said.

Chief Janso said they got the word out about the Toy Drive through social media, by posting fliers and promoting it throughout his department. Collection boxes were placed in a number of key locations in town: Town Hall, the Adonai Lodge, the Police Station and at Vineyard Commons. He also thanked the Highland Library, the Highland Fire Department and the Town of Lloyd Buildings and Grounds Department for their support during the drive.

Chief Janso said the toys were brought to the Highland Methodist Church for distribution or parents came to the church to pick out the toys. He pointed out that the toys they collected were given to local families and any left over were donated to other agencies.