The 2025 Perry toy drive volunteers include, from left, Melinda Hamilton, Heather Hoyme, Lisa Battani, Linda Andorf, John Andorf, Tara Myers, Chris Myers, Bob Hunt, Betty Hunt and Sharon Ulrich. Allison Ullmann/Raccoon Valley Radio

Tables are filled with a wide variety of toys at the Perry Elks Lodge, from dolls to Legos, trucks, board games and more.

Those items were donated by members of the community for Perry’s Annual Toy Drive. John and Linda Andorf, who help organize the event with Dallas County New Opportunities, say this year’s drive will serve around 300 youth in the Perry Community School District.

Families fill out an application through New Opportunities to qualify for the annual program. Linda adds that applications are open through next week.

Collection boxes were set out at local businesses through the first week in December. While a majority of the donations come from the Perry community, Linda says the drive also receives items from the Marine Corps Toys for Tots program.

“It is a very full room here, and everything that we have right now are donations from a very generous community.”

The Andorfs say the toys were collected and volunteers helped sort them onto tables by age and gender this past weekend at the Perry Elks Lodge. Linda adds the group was joined by DMACC composition students.

Volunteers will be filling bags with toys for each family based on ages and interests this week.

The toys will be distributed to families on December 11 and 12. Families will also be able to enter a drawing to win larger items like a tricycle, smart watch and more in addition to their bags of toys.

Linda expresses her thanks to the community for continuing to support the toy drive each year.

“We couldn’t do it without all the help that we get. And it makes our life just a little bit easier when we get a lot of help and helping someone else feels great.”

John adds that local businesses, including Hy-Vee, Kwik Star, Subway, Dominos, Yummy’s Donut Palace and Oasis, will provide food for the volunteers this week.

“It’s truly a community-wide effort, and we recognize that and appreciate it.”

Those interested in donating toys can drop off items in the collection boxes located at the Perry Fareway and Hy-Vee stores through the end of the year.