Article published Wednesday, November 25, 2009 Toy donations for kids of overseas GIs By DAVID PATCH BLADE STAFF WRITER
SWANTON — After Tena and Michael Bastian’s children reached adulthood, the local couple fell out of the habit of buying a few extra toys as Christmas gifts for the children of a less-fortunate family.
But then Mr. Bastian contracted a nearly fatal infection during a tooth extraction several years ago, and the couple, who run a kennel and horse farm on County Road E, decided to get back into the spirit of holiday giving. This year, they’re doing it in an even bigger way.
After inquiring at a local Legion post about the possibility of selecting a military family for their charity — and being told it would be hard to choose just one deserving household — Mrs. Bastian has set about collecting donations to benefit 200 children in the area who have a parent overseas on military duty.
“The spirit of the holidays is about giving to those less fortunate than ourselves, and we want to make sure that these children have awesome holiday memories even though their parents will not be with them this Christmas,” Mrs. Bastian wrote last week in a blog about her Project 200 Toys.
Using mostly the blog and word-of-mouth, Mrs. Bastian by the end of last week had gathered about $500 worth of toys and gift cards at the Bear Back Ranch and Kennel, while Lindsay Robinson, the owner of Shear Perfection in Delta, had received about 10 contributions to a donation box she set up in her salon.
“It’s a wonderful idea,” said Ms. Robinson, who learned about the campaign through her mother, a friend of Mrs. Bastian.
“I love the fact that it’s helping local families — people we know, people we work with,” said Andrea Lavens, a Lyons resident who knew Mrs. Bastian as a fellow horse owner and dropped off trucks, toy horses, and “some little things for kids” at Bear Back on Friday afternoon.
Ms. Lavens said she served in the Army from 1986 to 1992, “so it’s a big deal for me to help the families.”
Mrs. Bastian said she has received donated items from as far away as Virginia, Florida, and Seattle. She hopes to reach her goal by Monday, which would give her several days to wrap the donated toys before delivering them to a Dec. 3 holiday party at the Ohio Air National Guard, 180th Fighter Wing base at Toledo Express Airport.
Judy York, the family programs manager at the Air Guard base, said Mrs. Bastian’s campaign is the most concerted donation effort the 180th has seen. In the past, she said, family volunteers assembled “goodie bags” of small trinkets and treats, but there have been only “very sporadic” donations of larger presents for the children.
Project 200 Toys, Ms. York said, is “a very positive way for the community to show support for the troops. The children have so much to cope with when a parent is deployed.”
Project 200 Toys is seeking toys appropriate for boys or girls from infants up to age 12.
Donations of unwrapped toys or gift cards to either Toys ‘R’ Us or Walmart may be mailed or delivered to the Bear Back Ranch, 2742 County Road E; the Swanton Chamber of Commerce at 100 Broadway, Swanton; or Shear Perfection, 105 Monroe St., Delta. Permanent Link
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