Mountain Outreach provides Christmas toys for about 400 local children

About 400 local children benefited from Saturday’s Mountain Outreach toy giveaway.

Mountain Outreach, a ministry of the University of the Cumberlands, is well known for its home construction efforts in Whitley County.

But the organization did it’s part Saturday to make Christmas just a little better for about 400 needy area children by providing over 800 toys to spread some holiday cheer.

"All the student volunteers that you see here … they are the ones that really make this work," said Mountain Outreach Director Marc Hensley. "They are the ones that facilitate everything."

This year, the organization raised just under $25,000 to purchases toys. The money was used during a midnight shopping spree at the Williamsburg Walmart store. Hensley said Walmart has been a vital partner in the effort, donating $2,000 to the cause and providing many of the items that were purchased at a discount or on two-for-one specials.

"Walmart really helps us out," Hensley said. "They’ve been a real partner in all of this."

Hensley said 157 families registered and were approved to receive toys from Saturday’s event, which was held in the Mountain Outreach warehouse off U.S. 25 in the Pleasant View community. Those who took part were also welcomed to get free clothing and other household items from the organization’s nearby community distribution center, which is open year-round.

While parents were picking out toys for their children, the kids were offered a safe place where they could play and eat snacks and have stories read to them by some of the volunteers.

Riley Perkins, a University of the Cumberland’s senior from Augusta, GA, is a four-year participant in the program and said it has been a fulfilling experience.

"This is just really a great opportunity for us to do something in the wintertime for the folks when we aren’t doing construction projects," Perkins said. "A lot of the people that volunteer come back year after year, even if they aren’t still students here."

Members from several out-of-town churches helped out with the event, including: Clinch River Baptist Church in Clinton, Tenn., Immanuel Baptist Church and Coral Hill Baptist Church in Glasgow and Main Street Baptist Church in Lake City, GA.

Perkins said many of the church volunteers are from congregations that help Mountain Outreach in the summer when it is involved in construction projects.

Mountain Outreach was founded in 1982 by two Cumberland students. Its first project was to repair the home of a local elderly man and his son. By the time the two graduated in 1984, the organization was responsible for the construction of nine homes.
Hensley said after the 157 pre-approved families received items from Saturday’s toy giveaway, anything left over was then offered to the general public.

"We have many people that will wait for two hours or more in their cars because they know we do this," Hensley said. "There is a real need out there. We are just glad we can help."

Each of those who benefited from the effort also received a $50 food voucher from Sav-A-Lot.