Toy N Joy Charity Sitting Pretty Because Supporters Donned their Ugly Sweaters

Lynne Johnston, Kara Ilg, Cindy Plummer, and Debra Platt

Portland, December 14th. Toy N Joy Makers will be able to offer Santa a bit more help thanks to the generosity of Jill Inskeep and her friends. Lynne Johnston, Kara Ilg, Cindy Plummer, and Debra Platt were among the many who donned their fun holiday sweaters and brought along toys for the Portland Fire and Rescue charity.

Jill Inskeep and Susie Porter pose with the Toy and Joy gifts brought by guests

Portland Toy N Joy Makers help low-income families in the Portland area give their children toys for Christmas. The Portland Fire Bureau’s Toy N Joy Makers started giving toys to needy children in 1914. Program organizers reach out to the community to make sure kids have toys for the holidays and mitigate a child’s tragedy of losing their toys due to fire, flood, earthquake and other natural or man made disasters. Friends at the ugly sweater gathering were happy to help out.

Janet Manneline and Catarina Hunter are good sports in their holiday sweaters

The ugly sweaters were conversation starters over coffee and tea

Eileen Pilkenton, Julia Furnary, Nancy Greene and Lyn Cameron

Designer labels were left at home in favor of colorful sweaters

Toy N Joy received the toys for the holidays

December 2010 Statistics for Toy N Joy

Individual Family Orders Taken	2912 Families (12,964 children)
Other Groups Assisted	15 (3,000 children)
Total Children Assisted	15,964
Toys Given to Families	51,856
Total Toys Given Out	67,856
Toy Collection Boxes	219 (Businesses and Organizations)
Speaking Engagements	17
Toys Collected	40,000
Toy value given out during season	67,856 * $9.00 (avg retail cost) = $610,704.00 (approx)

Toy N Joy Makers of the Portland Fire Bureau, relies heavily on the volunteers that are currently helping with the program. The following is a breakdown of some hours and time of operation of this program.

During the holiday season
(November 15 — December 27)

Average number of volunteers helping during the day	20
Total estimated number of volunteer hours	4320
Total volunteer miles accumulated	14,752
Fire Company hours	990

Elisa Klein

I’ve been a professional journalist and writer since 1987, (and long-time reporter for KOIN-TV.) As a nationally published reporter, with a Master’s Degree in Journalism, I love to report positive news and information. Journalism has also connected me with another non-profit where I served as a leader; the Northwest’s biggest writer’s organization: The Willamette Writers.