Ohio Valley Street Survivors Donate Toys to House of the Carpenter’s Christmas Gift Program
Saxton James, 4, of Martins Ferry places a candy cane filled with Reese cups on a Christmas tree with help from Ohio Valley Street Survivors Club member Dee Lough on Thursday during the club’s toy drive at the House of the Carpenter. Saxton is the son of Mike Jones of Martins Ferry.
Photo by Shelley Hanson
Mike Linger, left, executive director of the House of the Carpenter, and Bill Sandiford, president of the Ohio Valley Street Survivors, hold some of the toys donated by car club members during their toy drive Thursday on Wheeling Island.
Photo by Shelley Hanson
Bill Sandiford, president of the Ohio Valley Street Survivors, helps unpack toys purchased by the club for children this Christmas during a toy drive Thursday at the House of the Carpenter in Wheeling.
Photo by Shelley Hanson
A couple of classic cars sit in the House of the Carpenter’s parking lot Thursday during the Ohio Valley Street Survivors toy drive.
Photo by Shelley Hanson
Bill Sandiford, president of the Ohio Valley Street Survivors, holds a basketball donated during the Christmas toy drive for the House of the Carpenter on Thursday.
Photo by Shelley Hanson
Saxton James, 4, of Martins Ferry places a candy cane filled with Reese cups on a Christmas tree with help from Ohio Valley Street Survivors Club member Dee Lough on Thursday during the club’s toy drive at the House of the Carpenter. Saxton is the son of Mike Jones of Martins Ferry.
Photo by Shelley Hanson
Mike Linger, left, executive director of the House of the Carpenter, and Bill Sandiford, president of the Ohio Valley Street Survivors, hold some of the toys donated by car club members during their toy drive Thursday on Wheeling Island.
Photo by Shelley Hanson
Bill Sandiford, president of the Ohio Valley Street Survivors, helps unpack toys purchased by the club for children this Christmas during a toy drive Thursday at the House of the Carpenter in Wheeling.
Photo by Shelley Hanson
A couple of classic cars sit in the House of the Carpenter’s parking lot Thursday during the Ohio Valley Street Survivors toy drive.
Photo by Shelley Hanson
Bill Sandiford, president of the Ohio Valley Street Survivors, holds a basketball donated during the Christmas toy drive for the House of the Carpenter on Thursday.
Photo by Shelley HansonTrending
Members of a local classic car club are helping make this Christmas a bright one for many children this holiday season.
Ohio Valley Street Survivors club members purchased hundreds of toys for their drive held Thursday at the House of the Carpenter on Wheeling Island.
Bill Sandiford, president of the Ohio Valley Street Survivors, said the club has held a toy drive for the House annually for 20 years. The club holds about 18 cruise-ins throughout the year to raise money to purchase the toys in addition to making donations to other organizations at Christmastime.
"We spent almost $1,200 today on toys, plus what people brought in," he said. "There's a lot of poverty everywhere and this helps."
Sandiford said the House of the Carpenter sorts all the donations to make sure they go to children of the correct age.
He noted giving back is important to the club members.
"A lot of people think that car clubs are just a bunch of guys, and some women, sitting around having a good time working on cars," Sandiford said. "But we give back every year."
Sandiford said starting next month the club will give between $300 and $500 each to eight to 10 different charities.
"It's the little people who don't get the big bucks from all over the country," he added of the charities.
Mike Linger, executive director of the House of the Carpenter, said the toy drive will help the House's annual Christmas gift program for local children.
"We have about 340 kids signed up already," Linger said. "We're now in the process of collecting sponsors for them who will provide toys and clothes for them."
He added the club's toys will supplement those sponsorships.
"These donations are wonderful - they really, really help us. And having the Street Survivors here, it's fun just to look at the cars," he noted. "It's fun having them here, but also having the gifts they bring is what allows us to help the kids for Christmas."
A variety of toys were placed around a Christmas tree, on folding tables and on the gym floor at the House's new youth center. There were stuffed animals, balls, cars and trucks, blocks, Barbies, Nerf and much more.