 "Photo: Murray, Brittney")
 "Photo: Murray, Brittney")
 "Photo: Murray, Brittney")
'Tis the season, and this season despite the economic conditions people are still finding means to spread the joy of the holidays to those in need.
Toys for Tots and Holiday Stars are among several organizations collecting toys for children this Christmas. Although more families are seeking assistance this year, people are still coming together to ensure all the children on their lists have a happy holiday.
"As a community we come together and take this seriously," said Katlyn Breton, head of the Holiday Stars program at the University of New Hampshire through the Alpha Chi Omega sorority.
Breton, a senior nursing student at UNH, has participated in Holiday Stars for three years. She has noticed a difference in the type of gifts families are asking for, but not a difference in the amount of donations.
"Most of the things are need-base," said Breton. "It's not what they want for Christmas but what do they need."
Breton recounted wish lists consisting of CD players and educational books three years ago. This year, the top requests have been diapers, onesies, shoes and coats.
"That's probably the saddest part about it," Breton said. "These people are asking for such basic things."
Rick Maynard, the Twin State Toys for Tots coordinator, has been collecting toys for children for 11 years. While the drive doesn't officially start until next week, he has noticed an increase in toy requests.
"We already have 600 kids to get toys for this year," said Maynard. "Last year there were about 150."
Toys for Tots, a Marine Corps non-profit organization, has several branches within New Hampshire. Maynard, who operates out of the Upper Valley, has noticed the strain families are coming under this holiday season.
"The husband and wife are both working and it's still not cutting it," said Maynard. "A lot more people are asking for help this year, and they're asking for it earlier."
The restaurant chain UNO's in Dover has taken on the Toys for Tots challenge, getting the wait staff personally involved.
"If we wear a sports jersey we donate five dollars to go towards Toys for Tots," said Abigail Thornton, a waitress at UNO's and a junior English major at UNH. "As of last Sunday we had raised $70 and we'd only been doing it for a week."
UNO's has a tree in their back room where staff can donate gifts for children. For Thornton, it's not about if she wants to adopt a child to give a toy to, but if she can.
"I want to donate this year because it is so available to me," said Thornton. "But I'm waiting for the end of the month before I pick a child to make sure my bills are paid."
This Christmas will prove to be a tough holiday for many families, but thanks to volunteers it will be a little less worrisome and ideally a little more memorable.
Holiday Stars had a table setup in each of the dining halls and in the MUB Union Court last week. Breton reported all of their stars had been taken by the third day and they are now in the process of collecting donations.
More information about Toys for Tots can be found at toysfortots.org.
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