OMMS students donate $21,000 in toys to Toys for Tots

Oak Mountain Middle School students helped make Christmas a little brighter for kids in Jefferson and Shelby Counties. As a whole, the school raised $21,054 to go toward Toys for Tots, and the OMMS National Junior Honor Society presented the toys to the U.S. Marine Corps during an assembly on Dec. 5.

"I cannot say enough, how proud each of us are, when I look out at all of our students and teachers who worked and encouraged and did so much to be able to make this day possible," said Principal Larry Haynes, "because once again, Oak Mountain Middle School students have surpassed the $20,000 goal for Toys for Tots."

Students raised the more than $21,000 over the course of 12 school days, said NJHS sponsor Lauren Gingras, and she was proud to see the school once again surpass its goal of $20,000. The morning of Dec. 5, around 120 student representatives of NJHS went shopping at the Hoover Toys R Us, purchasing toys for the donation. Each student was given $175 to spend, and asked to spend between $15 and $20 per toy.

"Students, this year, your generosity helped us raise $21,054 for Toys for Tots. Thanks to everyone's hard work and willingness to give, hundreds of children in our area will wake up to a gift on Christmas morning," said NJHS president Victoria Simpson. "It is our sincerest wish that each toy will not merely be a material thing, but it will bring joy and hope to children who need it."

Staff Sgt. Michael Tucker with the U.S. Marine Corps thanked all of the students for their time and donations. 

"As we give our service, the service that we provide would not be possible without the support of every single citizen, man, woman and child of the United States," Tucker said. "This is proven by what we have here today. The Toys for Tots program services children all over the United States of America."

The group receiving OMMS's donations is based in Jefferson County, but also serves the seven surrounding counties — Bibb, Shelby, Fayette, Walker, Blount and Saint Claire counties. 

"We can't do that by ourselves, so what we do is extend a warm welcome to all of those — especially at schools like this — to raise funds, gather toys and bring them all together," Tucker said.

Following the presentation of toys, members of MJHS helped bag all of the toys and load them onto a moving truck outside. Once all of the toys were loaded, Tucker and a Toys for Tots volunteer closed the truck while holding in a wall of toys.

Gingras, who has sponsored NJHS for the last 10 years, was the main sponsor for this year's Toys for Tots fundraiser.

"My number one prayer was, 'Please, lord, please let us meet our goal,'" she said. "I don't even know why I fretted."

The students worked hard to make posters for the school, reminding everyone of the fundraiser, and teachers worked to remind students how important the fundraiser is, Gingras said. Students who are part of NJHS know the Toys for Tots shopping and toy presentation are part of the experience, Gingras said, and it is something many students look forward to.

"It's an experience that will stay with them for a long, long time," she said. The fact that they are giving back to children who are less fortunate is also something Gingras said sticks with the students.

"That's when you get a little teary," she said. "It's a big deal. A big, big deal."