The Red Oak Police Department and Red Oak Volunteer Firefighter’s Association, with support and assistance from Department of Public Safety agencies and local businesses in Montgomery County, will once again serve as the distribution point for the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots program, for Montgomery County. Red Oak Police Chief Justin Rhamy reports the goal of the program is to see that every child who is registered in Montgomery County, is able to have at least one new toy for Christmas, this year. Registration is open from now until December 6th.

The parent or guardian of a child are the only persons allowed to sign-up a child, and there is some information that needs to be brought with that person, when they come to register. The best information is the child’s birth certificate, as well as their parent’s names and a telephone number of the person registering the child. December 2nd is the main sign-up day at the Red Oak Fire Station, from 10-a.m. until 2-p.m., weather permitting. If the weather threatens, or there are unforeseen circumstances, check with Chief Rhamy or Brad Baker with the Red Oak Fire Dept., at 712-623-6500.  Other drop-off sites for new/unwrapped toys, include: The Red Oak Fareway Store; Montgomery County YMCA, and the Red Oak Police Department.

Toys are divided into three age groups, with a maximum age of 14:

• Age 0-to 3: Non-gender specific
• Ages 4-to 8: Male/female
• Ages 9-to 14: Male/female.

A toy drop-off is tentatively set for Dec. 6th, from 6-until 8-p.m., at the Fareway parking lot in Red Oak, where Santa will be present, along with Dave Gammell’s light fire truck. The projected toy delivery date is December 23rd. Cash donations may also be made to the Iowa Chapter of Toys for Tots at https://toysfortots.org/donate/toys-city-county.aspx?txtState=IOWA. Just choose the destination (County) for your donation.