COLUMBIA – The City of Columbia’s annual toy drive is now collecting donations. The drive officially opened this past Monday and will be open until Dec. 11. 

Several groups at MU and Stephens College are already involved as well as several downtown businesses.

It is up to toy drive representative John Ludwig to contact organizations in Columbia to help bring in donations for the drive. He said the organizations that help with the drive are important to the city council.

“This is a very big drive, it’s something that we are very passionate about and the city is very interested in keeping it going,” Ludwig said. “They are going to be very supportive of any organization that really gives this their all.”

Ludwig said the Community Recreation department is offering the organization that collects the most donations recognition in the city newsletter. The organization will also receive a trophy with their name on it and recognition in the city newsletter. 

Ludwig said he will continue to contact organizations to help with the drive. He said a lot of the involvement with the drive comes by word of mouth.

“This is really a snowball effect, once people see it is working with some organizations and they may have a friend who is in an organization that calls,” Ludwig said.

Donations can be dropped off at several locations downtown.

Mary Dewey, Recreation Leader for Columbia’s Department of Parks and Recreation, said boxes for donations will be placed in the downtown locations starting next week.

Locations where donations can be dropped off are the Armory Sports Center, the Parks and Recreation Office at 1 South 7th Street, the main lobby of City Hall and the Public Health Department.

Businesses such as Iron Tiger Tattoo and The Broadway Hotel will also pair up with the drive and have boxes available for donations.

The Columbia Regional Airport is also collecting donations. 

Dewey said they will start to bring toys to the Armory around early December to prepare them for delivery.  

Organizations that would like to get involved or have questions about the drive can contact Ludwig at [email protected] or call the Columbia Parks and Recreation office at (573) 874-7460.