Left to right, Rotary Vice President Joe Muller, Randy Daigle, Rotary President Aimee Nieroda and Milton Rosenberg.
Photo credit: Kevin Mayo
ENFIELD — On Dec. 16, the Enfield Police Department’s Toys for Joy Drive took place at the Powder Hollow Brewery. It’s an annual event every December that helps families that have a need.
The Enfield Rotary Club has hosted the event for over 30 years, this year they had a sleigh full of toys and raised $809 in cash donations to help the children in town have a happy holiday.
President Aimee Nieroda of the Enfield Rotary Club said, “It exceeded my expectations. Everybody really pulled through an overwhelming amount of toys that were given and donations which I was not expecting. We love this event and making a nice Christmas for people who wouldn’t be able to afford one.”
The Enfield Rotary Club was established in 1928. The club’s community projects include the Enfield Food Shelf, Enfield Loaves and Fishes, Enfield High School scholarships, a community garden at the Enfield Senior Center, an accessible playground for all children at the Enfield Public Library, the Enfield Police Department’s Toys for Joy Drive and many more.
The Toys for Joy program started in the 1950s and continues today. The Enfield Police Department takes applications for families in need from Dec. 1 through Dec. 15. This year, they assisted approximately 200 families and 500 children. They also provide support to outside agencies — all anonymously — when possible, and several families that were not able to sign up due to transportation or language issues.
The Rotary Club’s donation has had a direct effect on a minimum of 30 families, and possibly more depending on how many of those families pay it forward with toys such as games being shared with other people, families and after school programs.
Paul Dubiel of the Enfield Police Traffic Division who took over the program about 10 years ago said, “Toys for Joy is important to have because it gives us all a little hope. I think this time of year everybody is trying to do something positive. The best part about this is that people continuously pay it forward and it’s a wonderful program.”
He went on to say, “I’m grateful to the chief for supporting this program and allowing me to carry on the mission started by the department so many years ago. Everyone in the department helps in some sort of way, be it taking calls, applications, picking up toys, sorting or handing out toys, everyone does something and we hope to bring a little joy to the children because they are our future.”
