(Oneida, NY – Dec. 2013) The brand-new Gorman Foundation Community Center welcomes the public to its first community event, as they host the local Toys for Tots distribution on Dec. 16.
The event, coordinated by the Community Action Partnership of Madison County, will offer gifts for needy children in the Oneida and Wampsville zip codes from 9 a.m. to noon. All children need to be pre-registered before the distribution.
CAP director of programs Kimberly Lorraine said the distribution is intended as a supplemental program that will give one toy and one stocking stuffer per child aged newborn to 14. She said families will come to the Community Center to pick up their gifts, delivered in black heavy duty bags so not to spoil surprises for the kids, and Santa will be on hand for free photos. There will also be refreshments, Christmas music, and a wrapping station hosted by Head Start that will provide free gift wrapping services.
Staff members at CAP find volunteers to run each distribution site, Lorraine said, and other community partners provide space, volunteers and donated items such as wrapping paper and cookies. Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District and Madison County Head Start are two of the other agencies providing volunteers, she noted.
The distribution also serves to show area residents that CAP, along with the Mary Rose Clinic, was one of the first agencies to find a home at the new Community Center when it opened last month.
“This is a great opportunity to let the families who need our services know that we now have a daily presence in Oneida,” Lorraine said. “It is also such a beautiful welcoming space; we are excited to be able to use it to make the holidays a little easier for those in need.”
The event promises to be family friendly and holiday spirited.
“It is a warm cozy event,” said Gorman Foundation Community Center program manager Nancy Verro. “Families are greeted, offered coffee, cocoa, and cookies. There are elves everywhere to help and guide. Kim has done an amazing job setting these events up each year.”
“Our main goal is to take something that could be seen as negative, needing to get help with Christmas gifts, and turn it into a positive experience for families,” Lorraine said.
Toys for Tots has been a longtime favorite charitable outreach for the Gorman Foundation, according to foundation chairman of the board Joanne Larson.
“The Gorman Foundation began its support of the Toys for Tots Program four years ago,” she explained. “Now, we continue to be involved with Toys for Tots at our new Gorman Foundation Community Center. CAP is managing this program, while we continue to support it with our building, money, and staff. Once again, we look forward to bringing cheer and happiness to the many families in our area who need our help. Children are the building blocks and future of our country and all of us need to be involved so their future can be successful.”
The Gorman Foundation Community Center is located at 1081 Northside Shopping Plaza in Oneida.
CAP also will Toys for Tots distributions at the following locations:
Dec. 17: New Beginnings Church in Wampsville from 9 a.m. to noon, for children in Wampsville, Canastota, Chittenango, Bridgeport, Kirkville, and Clockville.
Dec. 18: Cornell Cooperative Extension in Morrisville from 9 a.m. to noon for children in Morrisville, Hamilton, Eaton, Erieville, Cazenovia, Fenner, Brookfield, Bouckville, Earlville, Cazenovia, Georgetown and West Winfield
To register or for more information, call CAP’s Canastota office at 697-3588.