Santa’s helpers (Ron D’andrea, Kevin Conklin, Wade Puckett, Stacy Kopald, Lisa Slen, Diane Frate and Sabina Walters) from the Darien CVI Team spent the morning of December 12th helping to create the Person-to-Person ‘pop-up’ Toy Store. This is a festive event where volunteers come together and transform their church center into a Christmas Toy Store. The Toy Store is open for three days in December, serves more than 1600 children and their families in Stamford, Darien and New Canaan, Connecticut.
Ron, Kevin and Wade sent up panels, moved boxes of toys from the attic to the center. Sabina, Stacy, Lisa and Diane set up/moved tables, organized books, worked in the board game area arranging tables by age groups.
By appointment, Person-to-Person’s clients have 15 minutes to shop for their children’s holiday gifts, as well as, a new book for each child and a board game for the family to enjoy together. All gifts are wrapped by volunteers.
Everyone leaves in the holiday spirit and smiles on their faces.
[Written by Diane Frate, Darien CVI Office]