Toys and trinkets galore at Christmas Toy Sale

SEELEY LAKE - Around 45 people passed through Mission Bible Fellowship on Tuesday, Dec. 8 to pick up some gifts at a heavy discount during Loving Hearts' annual Christmas Toy and Gift Sale.

Loving Hearts Manager Mary Newpower said the event had to go forward despite COVID-19 because members of the community were depending on it to give their children toys for Christmas. Most of the products available cost anywhere from $0.50 - $4.

"Our community is structured with so many people in service jobs that this year in particular they were hit hard," Newpower said. "We have people that are in such need and if I didn't have this, they wouldn't be able to give the toys to their kids. It's an opportunity for them to still purchase things and not be paying full price."

The event generated around $375 in sales the majority of which will go back towards supporting community members in need. Some of it will also go towards funding future iterations. Newpower said she wants those in need to be aware that Loving Hearts' Benevolence Program can help provide individuals with certain needs like rent, gas, wood and other financial stressors.

Newpower said they had a similar number of gifts available compared to previous years and were able to sell about 70-75% of their stock. Many of the toys were donated throughout the year but others came in brand new at heavy discounts from retailers like Walgreens, Kohl's, Target and Walmart.

"If something really nice comes in, then we put it aside," Newpower said. "If I see stuff on clearance or on sale [then I buy it]. I try to buy things for all the different ages, as we go along."

In addition to gifts at clearance sale prices, the event also offered attendees dental hygiene products courtesy of Discovery Dental as well as raffles to win a men's or women's basket. Winners were announced on the store's Facebook page.

She said the event has been going on for around 10 years and this is the fifth year she has been involved. Loving Hearts bought a second storage unit last year to house their inventory, but Newpower stored many of the products herself and did not have to rely on the second unit this year.

Leftover toys from the sale will go to the Loving Hearts store to go up for sale or given away. Others will be saved for next year or given to the Seeley Lake Elementary School for their in-school sale. The store will be offering all of their products, except for jewelry, free of charge on Dec. 16 and Dec. 23 from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Santa Claus is stopping by on the 16 for photos with children and on the 23 is available to take photos with pets.

Newpower said they had plenty of toy cars, stuffed animals and winter clothes but they did not put out as many books this year as previously because people were not buying them.

"I wish that they would use them, but they don't. And it breaks my heart because I think that's so essential," she said. "People need to be reading to their kids, and need to have the kids reading."

Newpower said setting up the event takes several hours but it only takes 40 minutes for most of the products to clear out. Because of COVID, her staffing has gone down "substantially." Normally she has around 20 "wonderful" volunteers but this year she had around 10.

Throughout the rest of the year, she estimates that Loving Hearts was only open a little over half the year. The store closed for multiple periods of time when lockdowns initially began and when COVID became present in the community.

"I don't have to worry just about me, I have to worry about the customers, but more importantly I have to worry about my [volunteers]," Newpower said. "And I have to make decisions that affect them more than anything and I can't be responsible and worried about whether or not somebody is going to end up with COVID. God forbid something really serious happened. That would be on my heart for the rest of my life. I couldn't live with that."

Newpower said Loving Hearts is always looking for volunteers. She encourages anyone interested in getting involved with the store or its program to reach out to her at (406) 670-5526.