While Christmas can be a time of joy and magic for some children, others in need in Lowndes County may soon begin to wonder whether they will go without presents underneath the tree.

But Lt. Rhonda Sanders with the Community Benefit Committee is hoping to fill that gap, reaching more than 500 children throughout the county with the group’s annual toy drive. The drive started this week and ends Dec. 19.

“I feel like every child deserves Christmas,” Sanders said. “I don’t care what kind of money (the parents) make or don’t make … it’s not the child’s fault. I think every child deserves to have Christmas. And if we can just … destress a few families, we’ve done our job. And it’s a way for our sheriff’s department to give back to the community.”

Sanders said those interested in donating new, unwrapped toys to the drive can drop them off at the Lowndes County Jail, or at drop boxes at Transformation by Karletta, the McDonald’s on Highway 45, Heritage Academy, CORE Fitness or Carl Hogan Toyota. Donated toys will then be distributed through a variety of programs the committee and Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office partner to host throughout the season.

One of the largest programs, Sanders said, is a Christmas party for the more than 200 foster children currently in Lowndes County, making sure children “without a forever home” will not be disappointed during the holidays. Toys are also distributed at a second Christmas party for children of trustees at the Lowndes County Adult Detention Center.

“Our trustee program does a lot of things throughout the year,” Sheriff Eddie Hawkins said. “Every holiday we’re stocking the food pantries and we use inmate labor to help us do that. And this is a way to get the inmates more involved in giving back to our community. So at Christmas time, when they can’t visit their loved ones and their kids, we give back to them, and we hold a Christmas party here at the Sheriff’s office where they can bring all their kids and give them presents to make sure they get a good Christmas as well … it helps them have those family moments they are missing.”

Besides those children, Sanders said, overflow toys from the drive are also distributed to other families in need that the committee and sheriff’s office have identified. Sander said this year, that includes some families dealing with layoffs or the ramifications of the government shutdown affecting their savings.

“We will allow (members of) the public, needy families that we’ve got names for, to come up to the station and pick some toys for their children,” Sanders said. “And we’ll supply boxes in every patrol car or truck Christmas Eve, for deputies to give out toys in the community.”

Sanders said the deadline for the “first batch” of toys to be distributed is Dec. 10, though the Community Benefit Committee will continue to accept toys through the end of the drive.

Shop with the Sheriff

But the festive generosity doesn’t stop there. LCSO also hosts an annual Shop with the Sheriff event each year. For that event, the Columbus and Lowndes County school districts each identify five families in need, who are then given the chance to shop for Christmas presents with the sheriff, Sanders said.

Community members who wish to contribute financially to that effort can sponsor a child for $100 through the Community Benefit Committee’s CashApp, Paypal or Venmo, Sanders said. But no donation, Sanders said, is ever too small. Sanders also encouraged those who cannot donate to share information related to the drive on social media to boost awareness.

“It takes everybody to make this happen,” Sanders said.