A married couple from NW Ohio collects toys for shipment to Kentucky
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story was published in the Ohio Times on Dec. 21. The toys arrived in Bowling Green before Christmas. Joseph Allen, vice president of UAW Local 2164 at the Corvette plant, dressed as Santa Claus and passed out the toys to kids at the city's American Legion hall. "We set the presents out according to gender and age and then we had the kids tell Santa what they wanted for Christmas," said Local 2164 Community Service Chairperson Kelsey Bragg. "We also distributed presents to hotels around the area that are housing tornado victims."
By CHOLE SANCHEZ
A couple from Toledo made it their business to ensure that the affected children in Kentucky have something to open on Christmas Day.
TOLEDO, Ohio – What started as an idea has grown into an event collecting more than 1,000 toys for delivery to children affected by deadly tornadoes on Christmas Day in Kentucky.
“What if we went down there,” said Amanda Oka. “And I was like, ‘Yeah, let’s do it.’ So my friend made a couple of phone calls and here we are. “
One of those calls was UAW Local 12 in Toledo. And a week later, the hall is full of donations, ready for the six-hour drive from northwest Ohio to Bowling Green, Kentucky.