Toys for Town: From ‘desperate’ to deluge

• Photo: Toys for Town

Volunteers spent Saturday wrapping and delivering gifts for Farmington’s Toys for Town program. The drive brought in more than 2,000 toys for local families.

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When Farmington police chief Brian Lindquist said two weeks ago he was desperate for toys for the 2012 Toys for Town drive, he had no idea the overwhelming response he would get.

At the time, Lindquist anticipated needing about 1,000 toys for the children who were registered for Farmington’s annual gift giving program. What came in over the next few days was more than double what was needed. By Friday morning, more than 2,000 toys were collected, and several hundred dollars were donated, as well.

In fact, police sergeant Jim Murphy said Monday, there were so many toys that the police department cancelled its annual shopping excursion to get extra gifts.

“The outpouring from the community was outstanding. We were really hurting there for a while, but everybody really came through,” Murphy said.

Even on Monday, the police department was still receiving donations of toys, he added.

The donations were enough to cover all 84 families, with all 217 kids, who were registered to receive assistance through Toys for Town this year. Some of the extra toys were donated to the Farmington Food Shelf, and Trinity Care Center. The remainder were picked up by the Salvation Army, for distribution through the Toys for Tots program.

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