Karen Hadden Photo
Lt. Jim Holcombe explains the procedure for helping children find a selection of toys they want.
Jim Fair
A child is encouraged to take more than a game.
Karen Hadden Photo
A host of volunteers helped more than 200 children aided seeking a variety of Christmas toys and bikes.
Karen Hadden Photo
This table of stuffed animals didn't exist after the children got through with it Saturday.
“It’s the most volunteers we have had, the public and businesses have been great donating gifts and it’s the fewest children we have seen since we’ve been doing Cops for Tots,” Holcombe said. “Times are better and more people are being served by the community.”
Holcombe said churches and more organizations are taking care of families than ever before. “I remember when we served 600-800 children in two shifts, from 9 a.m. to past 6 p.m.,” Holcombe said.
The Greer High School boys basketball team, high school and college students, Greer Leadership, alumni from the Greer Police Academy, officers and their families were among the volunteers that almost allowed one-to-one attention per child.
By 10:40 a.m. Holcombe was directing volunteers how to collect and separate toys in bags to serve the 14 children remaining on the list.
“We don’t want anyone to not have a good Christmas,” Holcombe said.
“When we start out, you never know how many children you will have to provide Christmas for,” Sgt. Chad Richardson said. “We had the best turnout we’ve ever had from the Syl Syl Toy Drive and it kept getting better from there.”