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Donated Toys Make Christmas Brighter For Wichita Children

Thousands of families in Wichita will have a brighter Christmas this year due to donations to the Salvation Army.

At the former Big Dog Motorcycle building Monday volunteers helped sort through toys to be distributed later this week.

Two hundred sixty two students, faculty and staff from Friends University helped the Salvation Army prepare to distribute gifts to children donated through the Angel Tree program. Major Douglas Rowland says each year, the volunteers decorate the building, plus organize and assemble some of the toys.

"They literally come walking in with their tool kits and they're putting together bikes in one of the back rooms right now," says Rowland. "They're helping to sort toys that come in that people bring in. "

Friends University's Angela Lentino smiles as she bags up toys for a 3-year-old.

"This little girl, we were looking at her presents and she's got two baby dolls and a stroller and a little back pack," says Lentino. "It's adorable."

Additional volunteers will sort toys through Wednesday. On Thursday and Friday, families will pick up items for 9,500 children in the Wichita area. Along with toys, families will also be given a grocery store gift certificate and a donated turkey.

Carla Eckels is Director of Organizational Culture at KMUW. She produces and hosts the R&B and gospel show Soulsations and brings stories of race and culture to The Range with the monthly segment In the Mix. Carla was inducted into The Kansas African American Museum's Trailblazers Hall of Fame in 2020 for her work in broadcast/journalism.