What's Happening in Catonsville, MD…

Talented seniors helped kids enjoy Christmas in a way they never had before, by making wooden toys by hand.

Last month, 10 residents of Charlestown, a Catonsville retirement community, donated thousands of hours of their time to making one-of-a-kind toys, which they then donated to Toys for Tots.

Jim Mullis, who was the coordinator on the project, said the work started in May. The toys were exhibited for a brief time, then given to Toys for Tots on December 10.

The Toys for Tots campaign is a nationwide effort by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve to make sure children in need have toys to unwrap over the holidays.

Favorite toys include trains, airplanes, and cars, which are carved out of wood, sandpapered to remove rough edges, and painted in bright colors. The Charlestown residents made approximately 100 toys this year; each one takes about a day to build.

In addition to making kids happy, the activity gives seniors the chance to say thank you to the Marines for their service. When the Marines come to the center to pick up the toys, they often stand up to honor them.

Many of the woodworkers have been in the field for decades, and were delighted to be able to take up the craft again when they moved to Charlestown.

Managers at the retirement community might consider creating Brochures about the residents' talents if they decide to make the toys to sell.


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