Toymakers deliver Christmas cheer to families most in need

The Toymakers and members of the craft group at Living Choice Kawana Island presented their annual Christmas donation to needy children on Friday 30 November. Guests included the village residents, representatives from St Vincent de Paul Society, MP Jarrod Bleijie and Councillor John Connolly. Everyone enjoyed a sausage sizzle, the Christmas cheer and viewing the great craftmanship on show.

This year the Toymakers and craft group members chose St Vincent de Paul Society to deliver their Christmas bounty to drought-stricken families doing it tough out West. Working diligently throughout the year in the village’s workshop and the craft room, over 200 beautiful hand-made toys were crafted with love and care. Hundreds of hours were spent making trucks, tanks, cars, planes, billie carts, cots, children’s tables and much more. The Toymakers comprise John Sutton, Norma Lawrence, Graeme Hibbert, Don Lindsay, George Humeniuk, Danny Wise, David Fleming and Brian Spencer. John commented that even with many of the group taking big holidays or being faced with medical challenges, the Toymakers kept up their production rate which is remarkable.

The craft group members comprise Jan Bernhard, Roslyn Johnson, Margaret Love, Dot Larkin, Mel Courtney, Claire Stranger, Sue Taylor, Joan Crouch, Gwen Davidson, Pat Scarborough, Annette Musgrave and June Vitler and they, too, were busy throughout the year, making pillows, mattresses and quilts for the cots, dolls, bears and other knitted animals. The group also opened a craft stall on the day, raising $1,250, of which $500 was donated to St Vincent’s, with the balance earmarked for other charities.

Living Choice helps to sponsor the undertaking by providing $1,200 for materials. Several other sponsors assist the Toymakers endeavours, including Bunnings Kawana, Ron and Betty Walton and Taubmans. St Vincent de Paul volunteers wasted no time, with the truck laden with toys departing for places like Roma on Saturday at 4.30am!

Photos by Andrea Smith