Citizens in Douglas and Coffee County are invited to start a season of giving by participating in the Coffee County Community Toy Drive. Public safety agencies, along with many local community agencies, are hosting a toy drive for boys and girls ages 12 and under. The toy drive has already begun with collection sites throughout Douglas. “We have approximately 500 youth in our community who are on toy lists with local agencies,” says Mayor Tony Paulk. “We need our community to support this community toy drive. Local citizens and businesses are encouraged to donate a toy or make monetary donations.”
Participating downtown businesses, as well as local businesses and other community agencies will have large, wrapped boxes at their entrances for people to donate an unwrapped toy for boys and girls. Law Enforcement Agencies will setup on several dates beginning now through Dec. 7, 2018 at area businesses for toy collection. Participating downtown merchants will be collecting toys beginning Sunday, November 18 through Friday, December 7, 2018. Douglas Police and Douglas Fire Department will collect toys on Friday, November 23 at Walmart beginning at 9am. Georgia State Patrol will set up on Saturday, Dec. 1 from 10am-1pm at Walmart to accept toy donations and also provide car seat checks for citizens. On December 2, 2018, CSRA Probation Services and Broxton Police Department will be accepting donations at the Dollar General in Broxton beginning at 11am.
Other toy drop off locations include Douglas Fire Department (Cherry Street), City Hall (224 E. Bryan Street), Douglas Parks and Recreation Department (200 S. Madison Avenue), and the Ashley Slater House (211 S. Gaskin Avenue). Persons who are aware of a family or child that is in need of assistance, should contact the Douglas Police Department at 912-384-2222 or CSRA Probation Services, (912) 384-7371, for an application. Applications must be completed entirely and returned to CSRA Probation Services located at 912 N. Madison Avenue, Monday-Wednesday, 8am4:30pm, prior to December 5, 2018. Applications without complete information will not be accepted. Qualifying families will be contacted to participate on toy distribution day.
To make a monetary donation for the Community Toy Drive, checks should be made payable to: City of Douglas, Memo: Community Toy Drive, 211 S. Gaskin Avenue, Douglas, GA 31533. All monetary donations collected will be used to purchase gifts for the children. Special thanks to Southwire, Georgia State Patrol, CSRA Probation Services, Douglas Police Department, Douglas Fire Department, City of Douglas, Broxton Police Department, Downtown Douglas Merchants Association, Walmart Store 593, Walmart DC 6010, and other local businesses for their support and contribution to this community event.