Toy Mountain: a long term return of community helping community

It is the 28th year for Operation Christmas Hampers, or the White Oaks Toy Mountain as it is better known. Carol Deyell and her family spend every year repaying a kindness shown to them when their house burned down in 1993.

"I can still remember being two and a half that Christmas, so I remember that day like it was yesterday," says Shelley Miners, who has helped with the campaign since she was a child.

They lived in White Oaks, and that community rallied around them when they needed it most, and have spent every Christmas giving back to children who need it.

"It's just grown to what it what it is today. We're doing 46 complete pampers, and then we did 40 families that just wanted toys," says Deyell of this year's campaign.

Miners adds, "It’s nice to be able to bring joy to make Christmas happen for other kids, how the White Oaks Community made Christmas for us."

The toy drive has been a tradition for the Food Basics at Ernest and Bradley.

"A long going charity, and it’s very, very nice. Every Christmas, every year, it adds leisure to the store," says Ahmed Abou Warida, the assistant store manager

A big part of the charity drives in the past, Carol’s husband Keith passed away in September. It was always his dream to see the mountain of toys reach the ceiling of the grocery store, and hoped this year would be the year they do it.

"So we’re dedicating the mountain both, to my late husband, and Alicia Rodriguez, a former cashier here at the store,"says Deyell.

There are still some wishes left on the giving tree the group hopes will get fulfilled with just over a week until Christmas, Children’s Coats are in high demand.

Word is Santa will be visiting the mountain on Sunday to help with the fundraiser.