In August 2007 there was devastating flooding in Richland County Ohio (primarily Mansfield and Shelby). This natural disaster, caused by tropical storm Erin, resulted in numerous families losing valuable possessions. Toy Time, our county’s local organization which provides toys for less fortunate children during the holidays, lost a generous amount of their inventory due to the flooding. My government teacher; our class advisor and myself; Senior Class President put our heads together and decided collecting toys for flood victims would be a great senior project.

Each year the senior class at Ontario High School in Ohio performs a community service/ volunteer project. As senior class president it was my duty to manage the project. This year we collected toys and money donations (to purchase toys) for Toy Time. The Ohio flood of 2007 affected and altered the homes, businesses, personal belongings and lives of people in Richland County Ohio. As a senior class we could not fix every problem our county now faced. Problems such as: homelessness, physical damages, environmental damages, and loss of valuable property, just to name a few. But we could give the children some comfort and fun. A little girl may have lost her favorite stuffed animal due to the flood or maybe a little boy would not recieve chirstmas gifts because his parents would be spending money to repair their water damaged home. Therefore by collecting and donating toys to Toy Time we were able to put the sparkle and joy back into the children of Mansfield and Shelby, Ohio.

With the help of my three fellow class officers we began the planning and organization that would start from the first day of school and end at the conclusion of October. To accomplish this project we first of all had to inform the students of the need. The decision was made, however, to not limit the project to just the senior class, not even just to the high school; but to involve all three school buildings (High School, Middle School, and the Elementary). We accomplished this by e-mailing administrators and teachers asking for their participation. For the elementary students I typed up a letter for them to take home to their parents to get them on board. We hung posters throughout the middle school and high school and put on morning announcements to encourage the students to bring in toys. I also created a public service announcement with my video broadcast class that aired during lunch time. Now that the need was known, students had a two week period during the month of October to bring in items to their English teachers or homerooms. Our collection goal was 500 toys. In honor of Halloween our school holds what is known as “Senior Dress up Day.” Around Halloween a day is chosen where seniors can wear costumes to school. So we gave them this initiative; bring in a toy or a dollar for Toy Time in order to dress up. The last step in the collection process was to go to each school and bring all the toys to one location, our government room. I knew it was a success when there was hardly any space to walk in that classroom. We then counted the toys and then that final day my dad’s company truck came to pick up the toys and drop them off at a Toy Time collection area. Between the actual toys collected and the money donations (to purchase toys) we dropped off about 1,100 toys; all of which went specifically to the Toy Time devestated by the flood. Personally this experience; this accomplishment was so fulfilling. When I heard that announcement of the final total my heart was just so full of joy. Our community and Toy Time, I know greatly appreciate these toys. Toy Time sent our senior class advisor a letter thanking us for our large donation. I feel blessed to have been in charge of a project that benefited so many less fortunate children.

Find a local toy collection site in your town and donate all of those old stuffed animals and trucks and barbies that you never play with anymore. Any donation however, whether it is toys, clothes, or food is always appreciated in any community especailly during natural disasters. When a tornado sweeps through a nearby town or a neighbor's house catches on fire or a city becomes flooded, do not just sit back and feel bad, get out an do something! There are so many ways to help others in a time of need and during Richland County's flood Ontario Schools flooded their children with toys and joy.