AUGUSTA — The Capital Region Salvation Army and St. Michael School in Augusta will partner to distribute toys to more than 200 local families on Dec. 20, the second time the two organizations have teamed up to help people during the Christmas season.

Students from the school — sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders — will participate throughout the day in the school’s gymnasium, at 56 Sewall St. The gifts will include toys, educational supplies, board games, clothes, diapers and bicycles.

The holiday event stems from the successful partnership between the two organizations that annually provides more than 150 Thanksgiving baskets to needy families. The baskets contain all the traditional fixings for a Thanksgiving meal and also have included grocery store gift cards.

Last year was the first time the two groups partnered for a December distribution.

“When we were doing our distribution at Thanksgiving last year, representatives from the Salvation Army were looking at the size of our gym and wished aloud that they had a place like this to give out their Christmas toys,” Kevin Cullen, principal of St. Michael School, said in a news release Tuesday from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland. “I said, ‘How about this gym?'”

Trucks will be unloaded the morning of Dec. 20 ahead of the recipients’ arrival. Large bags filled with gifts are numbered for each family that has registered with the Salvation Army. In order to qualify, families must live in the Augusta area and meet certain financial requirements.

“Our students will never forget the look of happiness on the faces of these families when they receive Christmas toys for their loved ones,” Cullen said. “The hard work will last a day, and that experience of seeing those smiles and knowing you helped create them will last a lifetime.”

The day of service begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m.


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