The Ardmore, AL/TN Civitan Club will be accepting applications for their annual Toy Chest project Saturday, November 18, from 10 a.m. until 12 noon. Applications for children 12 years of age and under will be taken at the Tennessee City Hall Annex behind the Ardmore Public Library. Last week’s application time was rescheduled to this Saturday.

The Toy Chest served approximately 70 children last year and organizers of this year’s drive expect at least that many children to be served again. Many of the children who are helped by the program come from homes where the parents are out of work or in poor health.

“Many of the children we serve come from very poor homes,” said Mary Cribbs of the Civitan. “and in these ‘meth’ times, parents lose their children to the custody of grandparents who may be in poor health and dependent on Social Security/SSI for support. Sometimes the Toy Chest is heartbreaking, but it is always heartwarming.”

Collecting toys that have been donated to the Ardmore Civitan Toy Chest project now in progress at the Dollar General Market in Ardmore are, from left, Civitan member Mary Cribbs, Dollar General Market Manager Jim Hill, and Civitan member Laurene Schrimsher. (photo by Patricia Coulter)