On Dec. 15, Lakewood Ranch-Sarasota Elks Lodge #2855 sent five teams to 25 Walgreens stores in Manatee and Sarasota counties to pick up 7,500 donated toys for children for Christmas. There were a total of 24 Elk volunteers participating. All of the toys were brought into the dining room and separated by gender and age groups. The lodge shared the toys with Prodigal Daughters in Sarasota, a home for mothers recovering from abuse or addiction and their children are allowed to live with them for up to two years to assist them in regaining a regular life. The two women who came to the lodge from this organization to pick out gifts were hesitant to take much. They were encouraged to take what they would like and left with a van full of goodies and were thrilled. A teacher from a Sarasota school came to collect books, puzzles and crayons for backpacks she was stuffing. Other gifts went to a migrant village. Members from a Myakka church came with a truck and picked up the balance of the toys to distribute to church families in need.

Pictured are Connie Graber and Roe Hyer sorting the toys and making sure they were safe for the children.