A Langley-area housing developer is has started its annual toy drive for kids who will be spending the Christmas season in hospital.
Zenterra's Holiday Toy Drive runs from Dec. 1 to 17, and will see toys collected at three sales centres, including two in Langley and one in South Surrey.
Shayne Welker, the marketing the design coordinator for Zenterra, has taken part in the project for the three years he's been with the company, and noted it's part of an overall charity program the developer runs all year.
"We like to give back to the communities we build in," said Welker.
The company reaches out to its own workers, their friends, families, and the company's vendors and trades contractors for each toy drive.
The toy drive collects new, unwrapped toys, games, and art supplies for children of all ages, and gives them to the BC Children's Hospital and BC Women's Hospital and Health Centre.
According to the hospital guidelines, some items in high demand include rattles and teething toys for infants, light up and musical toys for toddlers, sketchbooks, art supplies, craft kits, and markers. Among small toy categories, Playdough, fidget toys, and small LEGO sets are popular. Small-denomination gift cars and tickets or passes to sports and family-friendly activity destinations like Science World and the Vancouver Aquarium are also welcome.
"Last year, someone donated a bike, which was pretty cool," Welker noted.
Once the toy drive concludes on Dec. 17, Zenterra staff get to take the toys down to the hospitals to drop them off.
Everyone around the office will spend the first weeks of December talking about what they should bring in themselves. Then they'll be loaded up in a truck or two and taken to the hospitals on Dec. 18.
People can donate toys at the three Zenterra Home Stores:
• Langley, 190 Willoughby Town Centre Drive
• Langley, #33 7640 197 Street
• Surrey, #30, 2411 160 Street
The home stores are open from noon to 5 p.m., Saturday to Thursday.
