Today, the team at CochraneNow gave a helping hand to The Cochrane Activettes at Toyland.

The old Northstar Ford building has been transformed into the staging area for all the toy and gift donations that the Activettes have collected throughout their Share Your Christmas Program. Tables filled with dolls, action figures, puzzles, teen kits, and more filled the space, ready to be packed and delivered to deserving families around the Cochrane area.

Last year, Lauren and I spent time packing food hampers for the Food Bank, and I have to say, both experiences are vastly different. With food, you have a list and you stick to it. 

Peanut butter? Check. 

Turkey? Check.

Oatmeal? Check.

In Toyland, we were handed a sheet that held the number of family members, the ages, genders, and interests of each child in the family.  We were then set free to look over labeled tables and rooms to pick what we believed fit everyone the best. 

I’ll be honest, deciding was tough!

Cochranites were extremely generous this year, especially for kids in the 3 to 7 age group. You would find yourself holding up an Elsa doll in one hand and a pack of Trolls in the other, trying to decide what this little girl would love more to open on Christmas morning. We are hoping we made the right call.

While the selection for younger kids was immense, when you hit 13-year-olds and up, the choices become a little more sparse. That being said, donated gift cards from various businesses around town will be added to the teens’ bags right before they are delivered.

Batteries are also in high demand. Any toy that needs to be powered comes with a battery pack to make sure the child has everything they need to play with their gift come Christmas morning. 

If you can, volunteer for Christmas 2021. Just a few hours of your time can make such a difference for so many families.

-Eric