A Blue Santa organizational meeting was held at the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Department, and some important dates were released for the charitable drive to benefit Empty Stocking. You will begin to see Blue Santa barrels at Lowe’s and other Sulphur Springs retailers starting October 16, and eventually three dozen barrels will be placed for collections of toys. You’re invited to drop toys into these barrels when you are shopping. A community-wide collection drive for Empty Stocking will be held on Lowe’s parking lot on Monday and Tuesday December 4 and 5, early in the same week as the Lions Club Christmas Parade. The Lowe’s collection event will offer food and fun attractions for children to enjoy, so families are asked to bring toys for the drive and help your children learn the importance of giving to others less fortunate. An application process for families to request Empty Stocking assistance for toys at Christmas will begin around November 1, with CanHelp handling the application process. Distribution Day of toys will be held around the second week of December, so that parents with approved applications can pick up the toys for their children’s Christmas presents.
The 2017 Blue Santa drive is a community-wide effort involving volunteer assistance from Police, Sheriff and Fire Departments, Legacy Hospice, local radio stations, CanHelp, and Lowe’s as a major sponsor.
