Christmas toys, baskets to be distributed Friday
posted Wednesday, December 19th, 2012 @ 1:45 pm

Christmas toys for children and food baskets for families and senior citizens will be distributed on Friday at the Ferriday High School cafeteria.

The gifts are being provided through the annual Concord Christmas Charity Fund Drive.

Chairman Rena Pits said there were 240 applications this year for 520 children, up from 240 applications in 2011 for 500 children.

She said donations are up this year due to Natchez Radio Group's "large donation of toys and money," which included $2,188 in funding and more than 150 toys.

Pits said volunteers can report to the Ferriday High cafeteria on Thursday at 2 p.m. to assist in bagging food and toys for distribution at 8:30 a.m. Friday.

Individual and group donors who contributed more than $7,000 total have been reported in the Sentinel during the past three weeks. Some donors have requested anonymity.

The Christmas fund was established in 1988 following a holiday scam when outside promoters raised money for the needy and skipped town.

One hundred percent of money donated goes to Concord needy and all charity committee members work on a volunteer basis.

Donors this past week included Jerry Watts, Santa Soldiers, $100; Rhone Brad ford & family, $100, in memory of Henry Schooner Robbers; Ferriday Presbyterian Women Afternoon Circle, $50; Ferriday Presbyterian Women, $50; John & Sharon Patrick, $100, in memory of loved ones; and Jack, Thalami Whitely, John Whitely, Abalone Whitely and Rose Mary W. Watching, $20, in memory of loved ones.