Youth come through with toy drive

The Kirkland-based group’s first toy drive “went

really, really well,” said animator Sahar Sabati.

“We collected four car trunkfuls of toys. The weekend before last the kids went door-to-door in the area, explaining the initiative to potential donors, and taking down addresses of those willing to give. Last Sunday we went back and picked everything up. People were very patient, and very generous,” the Baie d’Urfé resident said.

The donations will be dropped off within the week at Jou-Jou Theque, a toy lending library in St-Michel, where local children can borrow toys to return at a later date.

“The group liked the idea of doing something sustainable, rather than giving just one toy to one child,” Sabati explained.

Some of the toys will also be donated to Sun Youth for their Christmas baskets.

“We collected a lot of stuffed animals and educational games, and other interesting things like pottery making supplies and chess sets. Someone even gave us an Easy-Bake Oven.”

Buoyed by the success of their project, the group (the dozen or so members range in age from seven to 17) hopes to wage a similar campaign in future, she said.

“They’re looking forward to doing it again. They’re very proud of themselves, and each other.”

The group is also considering a post-holiday food drive and possibly a visit to the veterans’ hospital in Ste. Anne de Bellevue, among other projects.

“They’re very focused, and they’re learning the true concept of service, which is giving the community what it needs,” Sabati said, adding, “it has been a learning process for all of us.”

The group meets monthly. New members are welcome. For more information, call 514-835-6884.