2024 CWEC Toys for Tots campaign provides toys for 1,100 area children

The 2024 Central Wisconsin Electric Cooperative (CWEC) Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots campaign provided toys to around 1,100 area children.

Toys for the campaign were obtained through toy and monetary donations from area residents, organizations, and businesses.

Toy donations were collected at more than 30 area businesses and schools in Birnamwood, Bowler, Clintonville, Iola, Manawa, Marion, Rosholt, Scandinavia, Tigerton, Waupaca, and Wittenberg. The monetary donations that were collected were used to purchase toys for the age groups that didn’t have enough toys to fill requests. With those donations, roughly 3,100 toys, 625 books, and 1,000 stocking stuffers were distributed to area children. Those totals were on par with the numbers from the 2023 CWEC Toys for Tots campaign.

“Christmas is supposed to be a joyous time for families, but the financial situations some families face creates an extra burden for them around Christmas,” said Bert Lehman, Toys for Tots coordinator and member relations specialist for CWEC. “Each year area residents, organizations, and businesses come together to help ease that burden for many families, and we are grateful for that help.”

The toys were collected, sorted, and then distributed to communities and families in the CWEC service area. This area covers parts of western Waupaca County (including Iola-Scandinavia and Manawa school districts), northern Portage County (including Rosholt School District), southern Marathon County (including Wittenberg-Birnamwood School District), and western Shawano County (including Tigerton and Bowler school districts).

For more than 20 years Central Wisconsin Electric Cooperative (CWEC) has partnered with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve to organize a Toys for Tots campaign in the CWEC service area each Christmas. Through the campaign, CWEC provides help to area families in need by supplying donated toys to the families, so they can give their children Christmas presents.

The campaign’s success was also aided by the involvement of the departments at the co-op.

“In a span of only two weeks prior to Christmas, toy donations were collected, toys were purchased, and toy requests were filled, in an effort to make Christmas a little brighter for area children and families,” Lehman said.