FORT SILL, Okla. (Nov. 23, 2016) -- The Toys for Kids program through Fort Sill Family and Morale, Recreation and Welfare (FMWR) is trying something new this year. Instead of the adults buying gifts for the older children, to be distributed to military families with the rank of E-4 and below, the teens at the Fort Sill Youth Center were the principal shoppers.
"They're our subject matter experts," said Barbara Christ, FMWR non-appropriated funds support manager. She said the younger children are easier to buy for, but teen preferences are another matter. So during a brainstorming session at FMWR they decided to get help from the "experts."
The FMWR folks and the Youth Center's Teen Council did an exploratory search in early October with the kids to get a feel for what was out there and how they could stay within their budget. Then on Oct. 17, they did some team shopping for real at the Main Post Exchange.
Geoffrey Williams, president of the Youth Center Teen Council, said he and his fellow council members were there "to look for gifts for kids our age." Williams, age 14, said he personally would like headphones.
Jadah Burney, a 9th grader and the teen council's event planner, said adults are sometimes clueless when it comes to buying meaningful gifts for their kids.
"My dad would probably get me some little kid stuff, like My Little Pony or Hello Kitty," she said.
From the look on her face as she chose cologne, video games and art supplies, she would love to own some of the gifts she was choosing for others.
Christ said they buy as much as they can at the PX "to keep our dollars at Fort Sill." The teens have calculators so they know how much they've spent and how much is left in their budget. Each teen buys for about 40 gift recipients, ages 10 to 14. There are gifts for younger children, from infants to age 9, left from last year as well that are added to the stock.
Angelo Johnson, vice-president of the Youth Center Teen Council, checked out the video games with Ja'Dyn Johnson, board member, and said that video games aren't just for the guys.
"Some girls are gamers, too," he said.
Fort Sill's Toys for Kids program began in 2010 to help lower-ranking Soldiers and their families, who often have trouble making ends meet, provide holiday presents for their children.
The program, which is also sponsored by the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS) program, receives support from local businesses and individuals.
The BOSS Soldiers will wrap the gifts and staff the distribution at the Fort Sill Conference Center Dec. 12-16, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
FMWR anticipates serving 400 families this year. Last year around 1,200 children received gifts through Toys for Kids.
Active-duty Soldiers E-4 and below must contact their commander and fill out an application by Dec. 9 to be in the program. Each child will receive one large and one small toy. Soldiers E-5 or higher will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
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