Sherri Senn was rather surprised to learn that the U.S. Marine Reserve’s Toys for Tots campaign is the only organization that is doing a toy program in the Pike County area this season.

“I realized then how very important our campaign will be,” Senn said. “We have toy drop off sites at various locations around the county and encourage everyone to donate a new toy or several new toys so that there will not be any children in Pike County that don’t have Christmas this year. And the number of children in need will be larger this year because of the financial situation of our country.”

Senn is taking applications for the Tri-County Toys for Tots campaign at the Troy Department of Human Resources and the Head Start facilities in Pike County now through Dec. 10.

“Any family in need can sign up if they are a resident of Pike, Coffee, Crenshaw or Barbour counties,” Senn said.

And, the local Toys for Tots will offer a new program this year that will allow children to select their own toys. This program will be from 6 until 8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 18, at Cattleman Park. Refreshments will be served and several Marines will be there to assist the children.

“Families can actually attend this one-night program and the children can pick the toys that they want for Christmas,” Senn said. “The children can walk down the hall where the toys are displayed and pick out one ‘big’ toy and a couple of smaller ones that they really want for Christmas.”

This program will be the first distribution of Toys for Tots. The second will be the regular distribution on the following Monday.

“Families can only participate in one of the programs,” Senn said. “The instructions for both programs are on the application forms. So, parents will decide which program they want to participate in.”

For more information about the Toys for Tots program, call 334-268-3341 or 334-332-1913.

Drop off sites for the Toys for Tots campaign include the Wal-Mart Super Center, Ken Cox Ford, Pinckard’s Insurance, Witherington Insurance, Dollar General (Highway 231), Sikorsky Support Services, Troy Bank & Trust (main branch) and Lockheed Martin all in Troy. In Brundidge, drop off sites include, Car City, Culver’s Tax and Bookkeeping, First National Bank and the Wal-Mart Distribution Center.