DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — WAND’s annual Spirit of Giving event returns on Dec. 5 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The annual event brings car after car of donations, each one helping ensure every child in Macon County has a Christmas morning to remember.
Melody Scroggins has been helping with the Toys for Tots program for nearly three decades. She told WAND News it has been a labor of love.
“It’s been wonderful. I love doing it. I care about the kids,” Scroggins said, wiping away tears as she shared why the mission is so personal to her. “I don’t want them to think nobody cares about them."
Scroggins said her passion comes from knowing her own children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren experienced joyful Christmases, and she wants the same for every child in the community.
“It’s just deep in my heart that I want the kids to know they’re thought of and cared for,” Scroggins said.
For more than 15 years, WAND News has helped collect more than 80,000 donations. In 2024, Toys for Tots served more than 3,100 children. Coordinator Tommy Scroggins said the rising cost of living is creating an even greater need this holiday season.
“With the price of everything going up — and the price of toys especially — I expect the need to be more,” he said.
He said WAND's Spirit of Giving event plays a huge role in meeting that demand.
“80% or more comes from just this one day,” he said.
Scroggins said the program serves a wide range of families, like grandparents on fixed incomes raising grandkids, single parents juggling bills and caregivers simply trying to ensure their children don’t feel left out.
With only weeks left until Christmas, the team is urging shoppers to consider adding a toy or two to their carts.
“We need to let the kids know they are loved and cared for," Tommy said.
To learn more about how to donate, click here.
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