TOLEDO, Ohio — WTOL 11's annual Gift of Joy toy drive, sponsored by PNC Bank, helps hundreds of local children and families assisted by Lucas County Children Services.
While the collection doesn't officially start until Nov. 17, the holiday spirit is already alive and well in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan.
Bubba's 33 in west Toledo is offering up something special: donate a new, unwrapped toy at the restaurant's location at 3534 Secor Rd. and get a voucher for a free pizza.
"Bubba's wanted to give back and intrigue our guests as well," marketing manager Kaylee Clark said. "We're doing a gift for a gift. If you come in and drop a gift in the box up until they come to pick them up, we'll give you a free pizza voucher. It's a free 12-inch pizza just for dropping off a gift."
Clark says the restaurant has been involved in the Joys of Toys toy drive for the last few years by providing meals for the cause.
Paul Cooper, a city of Toledo fleet operations employee, and Mike Kimble, a city of Toledo road and bridge maintenance employee, have been collecting toys for the campaign for 10 years.
"There are too many kids in the system that go without and no child should go without," Cooper said.
For Cooper and Kimble, it's all about making a kid's day.
"We want to make this an extravaganza," Kimble said. "Nothing for us. We just want these kids to feel like, 'wow.'"
Clark says that mission is personal to her and to the team at Bubba's 33.
"Everybody deserves something," she said. "Everybody struggles in their own way. I think what is important is the community coming together and helping each other when they need it. Nobody could need it more than a child, especially during Christmas."
That's a sentiment Clark said the team at Bubba's 33 has gotten behind. She said she's already had to empty the donation box because employees are already giving.
"We also have personal connections, too. We have one of our servers who has gone through the whole adoption process," Clark said.
Clark says Bubba's wanted to give back to those who take the time to donate.
"Bubba's 33's main focus this year is to get into the community and to also bring in these partnerships with the community," she said.
Cooper and Kimble plan to donate the toys to the Gift of Joy toy drive to benefit Lucas County Children's Services during the downtown gift drop on Dec. 7.
Bubba's 33 is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. from Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. from Friday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday.