Can You Give a Toy By Friday? 'They Do Not Have Christmas Without Our Help'

When Tri-Cities resident Wen Marcec started bringing toys to kids in Appalachia in time for the holiday season, she had no idea that simple act of kindness would grow into an organization that does so much for so many.

Marcec is the founder of A Lasting World Inc., and her SANTA (Send A New Toy to Appalachia) Project will be one part of a nationwide effort to help people in need.

Again this year, schools in Geneva District 304 and Batavia School District 101 will be partnering to send new toys — and to send love — to underprivileged children in Appalachia, KY.

The families who will be receiving donations of winter necessities live in an area where jobs are almost non-existent. The average annual family income there is less than $12,000. The children served by this project are all on the federal lunch program at the school they attend. Besides the problems that stem from their financial difficulties, many of the children suffer from low self-esteem and other emotional issues.

Last year, Batavia and Geneva schools and A Lasting World Inc. collected more than 2,000 new toys for this project. Some of the items donated were baby dolls, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels cars, board games, dress-up accessories, action figures, sports equipment (footballs, basketballs, soccer balls, baseballs, Nerf toys), arts and crafts kits, Legos sets, etc.

Please do not send anything that needs electricity or that uses batteries. All the toys were new, because they were likely be the only items these children received for the holidays.

"This project is only a success because of the efforts of many, many wonderful volunteers from Geneva and from surrounding areas who unselfishly and actively take part," Marcec said in a letter to Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns and the Geneva City Council. "It is very rewarding for the Geneva District 304 students, especially, to be recognized by all of you and to be publicly honored for their service and their giving. They are a very enthusiastic, caring group, which is always a beautiful reflection on the City of Geneva itself. "

Literally millions of Americans across the country are expected to spend Saturday, Oct. 26 — the annual Make A Difference Day — doing volunteer projects to improve their communities and to help those in need.  On the last Make A Difference Day, a record 3 million volunteers participated and an estimated 28 million people-in-need benefited. 

As a result of the tremendous success of the program in 2012, A Lasting World Inc. received a Make A Difference Day Award and received a generous grant from Newman’s Own Foundation. The grant enables A Lasting World to continue its work in serving children in Kentucky, both through the SANTA Project, and through Camp HOPE, a week-long, all-expenses-paid summer environmental/self-esteem building camp for Appalachian children who, without this help, would not be able to attend such a camp.

On Oct. 25, Wen Marcec and her husband will collect all the toys; on Saturday, they will deliver the toys to the schools in Kentucky. The toys will be distributed in time for holiday giving.

For more information on A Lasting World Inc., contact Founder Wen Marcec at 630-917-3912. For more information on the 2013 SANTA Project, contact Carrie Hollman and/or Angie Carlson at Friendship Station Preschool, 630-444-8522 (Carrie) or 630-444-8533 (Angie).