FORT RUCKER, Ala. -- The season of giving is here and soon children around the Wiregrass will tear into gift bags and wrapping paper to uncover a variety of toys, games and dolls, courtesy of Fort Rucker employees.
The building and structures group for The Shaw Group at Fort Rucker realizes not every child may be fortunate enough to receive gifts during this time of year, and for eight years, have made it a goal to bring a smile to some of those children's faces.
Each year, employees with the group receive store gift cards for meeting certain quality standards. Employees combine these gift cards to buy the thousands of dollars worth of toys to donate to local toy drives and charities. The Shaw Group matches this compiled amount and this year $3,000 worth of toys were purchased.
"It's the least we can do and it feels great to give back," said Terry Burke, maintenance mechanic for The Shaw Group and coordinator of the toy donation. "I have high hopes that next year will be even bigger with more money to spend on toys for the kids in the area."
Employees of The Shaw Group pick a morning to go shopping for toys and load up seven or more carts with any kind of doll and game imaginable.
Toys are given to several local toy collections. The Daleville Angel Tree, Ozark fire department and Fort Rucker post chapel's giving tree were three organizations who received donated toys.
Creighton Daughtry, firefighter with the Ozark fire department, loaded up his truck with bikes and dolls for the department's Toys-for-Tots drive.
"Doing what I do, I've seen first-hand children in need of these gifts and just something special," Daughtry said. "It's good to give back to them and see all those smiles."
Burke said there has already been discussion on how to make next year's drive bigger and better. He said anyone interested in being a part of the toy collection and helping in any way should contact someone from The Shaw Group at Fort Rucker.
The Shaw Group provides diverse facilities management services for the operation of large, mission-essential military and aerospace facilities.
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