Barbara Blackburn of Mount Airy Yamaha prepares to place donated items into a Toys for Tots collection box Wednesday in a showroom at the Rockford Street business. Mount Airy Yamaha and another local business, Behavioral Services Inc. at 2342 S. Main St., have been announced as Toys for Tots collection points to aid underprivileged children at Christmas.

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Motorcycles, scooters and ATVs aren’t the only “toys” to be found at Mount Airy Yamaha these days. One also might see Barbie dolls, plastic baseball bats or coloring books there.

That’s not due to the Rockford Street business expanding its inventory, but because it is one of the drop-off points for the Toys for Tots program and another charity, Joshua’s Angel Center.

“We started it two weeks ago,” Sales Manager Corey Swift said of the drive.

Personnel of Mount Airy Yamaha and Behavioral Services Inc., another site in Mount Airy announced as a collection point for Toys for Tots, are trying to spread the word regarding the need to help children who otherwise might experience a dismal Christmas.

Both locations will be accepting toys through the rest of this month and during December.

A distinction with Mount Airy Yamaha’s effort is its involvement with the Boonville-based non-profit organization Joshua’s Angel Center that serves disabled adults and children. It was founded by Tammy Hazelwood, whose son suffers from autism and Down syndrome.

Hazelwood contacted Mount Airy Yamaha about serving as a collection point this year for its Family Outreach Program, in addition to Toys for Tots.

While only new unwrapped toys are accepted for the Toys for Tots program, Joshua’s Angel Center is seeking both new and gently used toys and clothing for children and families.

“It’s been pretty good so far,” Swift said of the campaign. “We’ve collected a bunch of new toys and quite a bit of used pieces.”

Swift said he often comes into contact with families with underprivileged children who can benefit from such contributions.

Everything collected will go to local residents, Swift added Wednesday.

Items can be taken to Mount Airy Yamaha during regular business hours, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Behavioral Services Assisting

Officials of Behavioral Services Inc. say they are “proud” to once again have it serve as a drop-off point for Toys for Tots.

Behavioral Services is located at 2342 S. Main St. in Mount Airy.

Donations of new unwrapped toys for all ages can be taken there from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

In-county residents also will be the beneficiaries of items received at Behavioral Services Inc., a business that assists children and adults with disabilities.

Last December Toys for Tots was among the agencies supplying items to The Salvation Army for its annual toy distribution in Mount Airy.

Reach Tom Joyce at 719-1924 or tjoyce@heartlandpublications.com.