photo by: Photo by Joselyn King

Jessica Rine, left, executive director of the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley; Maddi Seavy, associate director; and Lt. Josh Stowers of the Wheeling Police Department look through a box of toys brought to WVU Medicine-Wheeling Hospital on Thursday.

WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital received a delivery of toys Thursday, and the hospital is going to share them.

Members of the Wheeling Police Department and representatives of the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley made a special drop-off of toys for children at the hospital Thursday morning. There were dolls, trucks and other items left over following the recent distribution of items collected during “Operation Toylift.”

The toys came in a large crate that was set next to the Christmas tree in the hospital’s main lobby. From there, many are set to go upstairs to the pediatrics department, said Thea Gompers, director of marketing and public relations for WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital.

What is left over will be sent to WVU Medicine Children’s Hospital in Morgantown, she added.

Maxxis, McKenzie and Marie Rossini were three young visitors to the hospital’s lobby on Thursday, and each was told select a gift.

Maxxis took a dinosaur; McKenzie, a pink doll and sister Marie also received a doll.

“Operation Toylift,” a joint charitable event between the Wheeling Police Department and the Belmont County Sheriff’s Department, took place Dec. 10 at the Ohio Valley Mall.

The United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley handled distribution of the toys and dollars collected that day. Executive Director Jessica Rine said $7,000 in cash was collected this year through the drive, and that it was provided to those in need.

Assistance was provided to the public through a number of local agencies, including the Girls Scouts Black Diamond Council, the Tri-County Help Center in St. Clairsville, Wheeling Health Right, the Belmont County Child Advocate Center, the Wheeling YWCA, and the Wetzel County Family Resource Network.

Wheeling Police Lt. Josh Stowers explained the toy drive was the idea of Wheeling Police Chief Shawn Schwertfeger, who approached Belmont County Sheriff Dave Lucas with having an event involving law enforcement on both sides of the river.

“It is what law enforcement does,” Stowers explained. “We love giving back, and that is one way we do it at the police department. It’s definitely something that will continue.”