Real-life Toy Story

Volunteer army takes action for Valley needy

By RICK ROUAN

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

AUSTINTOWN — The line outside the Salvation Army in the Austintown Plaza stretched all the way around the building Tuesday morning despite steady rain and cold.

People are still in need, Capt. Beth Foster said, even if donations and volunteers are down.

“We’re doing the best we can,” Foster said.

The Salvation Army kicked off distribution in its annual toy drive at 10 a.m. Tuesday. The charity distributed tickets that indicate the day families can pick up gifts.

In the next week, the charity will give toys to about 5,000 children, Foster said.

Children receive a toy between $15 and $20, two medium-sized toys and a bag full of stocking stuffers, Foster said.

All told, the Salvation Army will serve about 4,000 families — about 10,000 people — through its toy and food drives, which includes a turkey, Foster said.

Volunteers, some from local school districts, bustled in the large warehouse, picking out prepackaged bags of toys and loose items for families who registered. But Foster said that the number of volunteers this year is down.

“It’s a very busy time of year,” she said. “There’s many agencies out there that need help.”

Poland Middle School sent a group of nearly 20 volunteers to help distribute the toys Tuesday.

The school’s Junior Leadership group, with 17 eighth-grade members and two faculty advisers, first took tags to purchase gifts to donate to the drive and then worked from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to help hand those items to the public.

“We all know we’re really lucky,” said Matt Slaven, 14, of Poland. “We’re all thankful for that and want to help the community.”

The middle school has sent volunteers to the Salvation Army for about 20 years, said Irene Consiglio, one of the group’s faculty advisers.

“We do whatever they ask of us,” Consiglio said. “Christmas is about giving.”

Pam Angelilli, another faculty adviser to the group, said she hopes the students learn that “giving to others and thinking of others before yourself” is an important aspect of leadership.

“Our kids have things. It’s important for them to see that not everyone has those,” Angelilli said.

The toy drive is important to help people who are struggling, especially during the downturn economy, said Ann Marie Zecher, who was among those standing in line for the drive.

Zecher said she was laid off from Spectrum Metal Finishing Inc. in Boardman.

“It helps a lot for people who don’t have anything,” she said.

The students who helped distribute the gifts recognize that too.

“Not everyone has an opportunity to get as many gifts as we do,” said Emma Shields, 14, of Poland. “We try to do as many community-service projects as we can.”

Helping at the Salvation Army was a learning experience for 14-year-old Zac Prizant of Poland.

“It teaches us leadership. We get to help people, and we learn what people are going through,” Prizant said.

“It’s just the spirit of Christmas,” he said.

rrouan@vindy.com