Deck the Grange halls they did.

Volunteers with Sequim Community Aid kept the nonprofit’s tradition of offering families toys, games, clothes and more for local children this Christmas. The Toys for Sequim Kids event served 131 families — with 380 children from newborns to age 18 — on Dec. 14 at the Sequim Prairie Grange, said co-organizer Kathy Suta.

About 30 families were lined up before the event opened at 10 a.m., Suta said, and the event remained open longer than past years to accommodate more working families.

Helpers provided gifts for about 300 children last year, organizers reported.

“It was a great event and we appreciate all the help we received from the community,” Suta said. “We wouldn’t be able to do this without them.”

Co-organizer Susan Brown said the community continues to be generous with an estimated 50 percent of donations coming from giving trees and other donation efforts, and the other half from Toys for Tots.

“It’s such a blessing to us,” she said.

“I wake up on Christmas morning and I think about the smiles on the kids’ faces.”

Thanks

Organizers say they appreciate the widespread support from businesses hosting giving trees/boxes to those who donated items/in kind services, including: Anytime Fitness; Coastal Farm & Garden; Co-Op Farm and Garden; The Oasis Bar and Grill; Starbucks; Olympic Peninsula YMCA; Sequim Prairie Grange; Blue Sky Realty; Olympic Theatre Arts, Toys for Tots; Santa’s Toy and Food Fire Brigade; Walmart; QFC; Safeway; Swain’s General Store; Radio Shack; Sequim Prairie Garden Club; Sequim Valley Car Club; QuestersClub; Soroptimist International of Sequim, and all the donors and volunteers.

Organizers also report The Linus Project and the Sunbonnet Sue Quilt Club donated more than 250 handmade quilts to the event.

Continued help

Toys and other items are collected throughout the year for the event, organizers said.

To support Toys for Sequim Kids, mail checks to: Sequim Community Aid, P.O. Box 1591, Sequim, WA, 98382, with “toys” in the memo line.

Brown said for those looking to buy toys for next year’s event, Lego building sets remain popular.

Sequim Community Aid also continues to help locals with utility and rent assistance through the year. To donate to that effort, organizers say to leave the memo blank.

Volunteers continue to be needed too, Brown said, and they can work from home with flexible hours.

Call Sequim Community Aid at 360-681-3731 and leave a message for assistance and/or to volunteer.

Toys for Sequim Kids is co-chaired by Brown, Suta, Kathy Joyner and Sharon Ryan.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash During Toys for Sequim Kids, Clair Hamaker seeks some toys for her six children with help from event co-organizer Kathy Joyner.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash At Toys for Sequim Kids, Sue Owens looks for just the right toys for one of her four grandchildren with help from volunteer Cynthia Vineyard. This was Vineyard’s first year helping, she said, and plans to keep helping.

Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Keith Brown of Sequim puts a raffle ticket in a bin for a parent during Toys for Sequim Kids. On why he continues to volunteer: “I just enjoy seeing the looks on people’s faces,” he said. “It (feels good) knowing we’re giving back.”