This Christmas may be quite difficult for many local families due to the economic troubles at hand, so parents and guardians in need of assistance to make their child’s holiday special are invited to visit any school in the Haralson County system to pick up and drop off applications for toys through the Toys for Tots program: an effort the system is supporting to make the holidays fondly memorable for needy children throughout Haralson County.

Interested recipients can pick up and turn in completed applications at any of the six schools located in the county school district by Thursday, Dec. 3. They will then be processed by Toys for Tots personnel, according to Haralson County Schools Public Information Officer Kersha Cartwright. She stressed that parents and guardians can seek assistance for their child, even if they are not enrolled as a student in the county school system. She urged participants to stay mindful of the application deadline because selected recipients will be notified to come collect their toys during distribution week, which begins Monday, Dec. 14, at the new Haralson County Schools District office in Tallapoosa.

While several employees have signed up to distribute and stock boxes with toys, she said coordinators are also trying to round up more volunteers from the community to help pass out toys to families on distribution day.

Anyone wishing to donate toys can do so at all six Haralson County System schools as well as the Dollar General and Family Dollar in Tallapoosa. Other collection sites are still forthcoming and will be announced soon. Cartwright also noted that any person or business can set up their very own collection box for toys to donate to Toys for Tots for families in and around Haralson County; however, the donated items must be new and packaged, as part of the organization’s long-time tradition to spark the Christmas spirit.

“There are lots of needs in the county this year, so the Toys for Tots program is another resource for the counties in need. Our schools, churches and community is doing a good job of providing food and clothing, but this is another resource, particularly for our kids,” Cartwright said.

Recalling the 1st Annual Tunes for Tots event that was held at the Carroll County Fairgrounds this weekend, Cartwright shared the many efforts of the West Georgia volunteers who have teamed up to put forth various contributions to ensure that children in the region have nothing short of a joyous holiday.

Carlis Baker, who helped oversee that recent initiative, reported an estimated 1,000 people attended the celebration filled with volunteers of both entertainers and workers to ensure that every child has a merry Christmas. He said $3,000 was raised at the event, with more than 500 toys that were collected to top off their success.

For more information about assistance, collection and distribution efforts through the Toys for Tots program in Haralson County, call 770-574-2500. Interested recipients can also download applications for assistance from the Haralson County Schools system Web site at www.haralson.k12.ga.us.