By Courtney Patterson

The Troy Fire Department is hosting a toy drive for The Sugar Plum Shop at Children’s Hospital.

DJ Williams, firefighter EMT, started the toy drive last week, and is pleased with the amount of donations that have been given.

When Williams walked into the station on Friday morning, the donation table was empty, but soon enough, the donations began to roll in. A day or so later, there were two overflowing donation tables.

“It has been very successful for the time that we had,” Williams said. “As soon as I mentioned it, everybody wanted to join in and help out.

“I just wanted to do something that would help the kids. Children’s has helped kids all over the state.”

As soon as he called Children’s Hospital, Williams discovered the hospital already had The Sugar Plum Shop, and he decided that was how he could help.

The Sugar Plum Shop is a toy store within the hospital, where the parents can go in the store and choose toys, free of charge, for their children that are having to spend the holidays in the hospital.

About 500 kids benefit from this toy shop every year, according to Williams.

Both fire stations in Troy will be accepting toys until Thursday, Dec. 18 at 8 p.m. All toys must be new and unopened, due to the potential of germs.

Williams plans to get an earlier start next year so that even more toys can be donated. He plans to host the toy drive as long as he works for the fire department.

“I’d like to thank everybody that has donated or is planning on it,” Williams said.

For more information, visit The Sugar Plum Shop web site at childrensal.org/sugarplumshop. The site includes a wish list of toys for the shop and guidelines for giving donations.