Greenfield Comes Together to Gift Presents to Children

Chief Joey Radford with the Greenfield Police Department and Representative of Greenfield School, Matt Butler, stand next to toys which have been collected to help give children this year a Christmas worth remembering.

BY JASMINE WILLIAMS

jasmine@dresdenenterprise.com

GREENFIELD (December 16) – The Greenfield Police Department hosted its 5^th Annual Toy Drive this month to help families in need provide their children with Christmas presents.

Children who attend Greenfield School or live in the Greenfield area benefit from this toy drive every year. The police department partners with the school to reach more children who might not have gifts on Christmas.

Police chief Joey Radford stated that he began this to help those in the community.

“I felt like when I took over as chief this would be a way to give back and help the children in the community and the less fortunate,” Radford said.

This year the toy drive did not see a decrease in the amount donated, with more than 100 toys and $500 donated. Radford said that this was because the community has come together very well to help children and the toy drive has been as successful as in years past because of this.

After all toys have been donated, Radford will take toys to the homes of those who signed up on Christmas Eve night. He and his wife will also have all the gifts wrapped so that families do not have to worry about wrapping the gifts themselves.

For the first time, this year’s toy drive had a number of donations intended for teenagers including: winter clothes, hairbrushes and blow driers. With these new donations, Radford stated that there is a possibility to have a children and teen drive next year to help teenagers who might not receive things for Christmas. Items that were intended for teenagers were delivered to the high school to be distributed to the students who need it.

Families in the Greenfield community have until today, Wednesday, December 23, to contact Radford to sign up for toys.

“I appreciate all the donations from everyone this year. I know this has been a difficult year for everyone, but this one good way to end the year to help make Christmas a little better for families that are struggling,” he added.