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Club Carves Toys For Children

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By YVETTE C. HAMMETT, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 22, 2007

VALRICO - The wheels start turning in June. Ideas fly around the woodworking shop in the Strawberry Ridge community as a core group of woodworkers prepare for the Christmas rush.

They stock up on supplies and donated gifts from local businesses. Then they make pancakes. It's their only fundraiser each year, the one that pays for the supplies they will use to provide toys to dozens of migrant children in Dover and Valrico.

"This is why we do it," club president Bob Burfitt said as he stood in a nursery full of babies at San Jose Mission, the migrant farm worker community on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

By this time each year, the work is done and the fun begins. The men deliver the fruits of their labor to the mission, where children can choose their gifts.

The 42-member club, which is about 16 years old, considers this its premiere annual event.

"We do toys for kids from infant to 5 or 6 years old," Burfitt said, standing beside tables covered with wooden trains, elephants, push toys and colorful crayon boxes.

"Last year, we spent about $400 on supplies," said club treasurer Roy Age.

To pay for the supplies, the club solicits gift cards and merchandise from local businesses. Then, during the annual pancake breakfast, the club holds drawings to raise money. The gift cards and other donations are given as prizes.

Charlie Dragan made 10 wooden trains this year, spending about 2 1/2 hours on each one.

Age made colorful wooden boxes that hold crayons and coloring books.

Each year, the group chooses to make a different selection of toys. And members vary what they make from year to year.

"We realized a few years ago that we were making toys for mostly boys," Russ Wuerth said, "so we started getting dolls at the store and making cradles. The Ladies Auxiliary of the Veterans' Club at Strawberry Ridge made little cushions and comforters for each one."

This year, they added push toys and trains. "We try to mix it up," Wuerth said.

The youngsters who receive the toys are always thrilled, said Annie Castillo, an early childhood specialist at the Mission's Head Start program.

"The kids are very happy to see them coming," she said.

Reporter Yvette C. Hammett can be reached at (813) 657-4532 or yhammett@tampatrib.com.

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