The Great Nanaimo Toy Drive's Krista Simpson surrounded by a haul of lego, an extremely popular gift in 2024. (The Great Nanaimo Toy Drive)

By Ian Holmes

Toy drive success

Great Nanaimo Toy Drive reports successful campaign, demand shoots up

Dec 31, 2024 | 5:34 AM

NANAIMO — A monumental community effort culminated in hundreds of Christmas miracles for families requiring a little extra holiday support.

More than 1,600 children and 750 families received new, unwrapped toys following another edition of The Great Nanaimo Toy Drive, in operation since the early 1980s.

Despite the expected record turnout, toy drive chair Janet Mirau said individual donors and the business community stepped up in a big way.

“We found a toy or a gift for each and every one of those children because of the generosity of the people of Nanaimo. We couldn’t be more thankful to facilitate that exchange,” Mirau told NanaimoNewsNOW.

With children up to 17-years-old having a range of gift interests, Mirau said their online and phone registration process helped narrow down what presents to provide.

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She said their generous donors responded with popular items like Barbies, legos and drones.

Monetary donations helped round out the items required as the pick-up dates neared on Dec. 19 and 20 at the former Dufferin Elementary School Gym.

With cost-of-living pressures affecting many, Mirau said the sense of relief and gratitude recipients demonstrated resonated throughout the gift pick-up time allotments.

“We certainly saw that in the eyes and the hearts of the people that came, you could feel that sense of relief as they looked over their options to be able to choose something that would be suitable for their child.”

Mirau said their team of volunteers “are incredible” encompassing year-round assistance and those on board for the busy final week.

She estimated upwards of 300 volunteers were involved in the latest installment of The Great Nanaimo Toy Drive.

“We are just all so blessed to be in a position to be able to do those things and help others.”

More information on The Great Nanaimo Toy Drive can be found on the organization’s website.

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