DOWNRIVER, Mich. – An 82-year-old woman from Taylor is putting her heart and hundreds of hours of her time into making sure children across Downriver and Detroit have something special to open on Christmas morning.
For the last several years, Sheila, a retired grandmother, has spent the entire year crocheting handmade stuffed animals to donate to the Toys for Tots Toy Drive at the Kroger store in Southgate.
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This year, she created 29 stuffed animals, including a Baby Yoda, a dragon, a tiger, several bears, and dozens of other colourful creatures.
Sheila said she begins working on next year’s batch almost immediately; in fact, she plans to start crocheting again tomorrow.
The work isn’t easy.
She lives with arthritis, but says the act of creating something for a child in need brings her purpose and even helps ease some of her pain.
Every one of Sheila’s handmade gifts will be distributed to families in 11 Downriver communities and parts of Detroit as part of the Toys for Tots effort led by retired Marine Master Sgt. Phil Smith.
Organizers say this year’s need is the highest they’ve seen in nearly three decades, with more than 2,000 families requesting help.
The Local 4 “Go 4 It” toy drive continues at the Kroger located at 16705 Fort St. in Southgate. Donors are encouraged to drop off new, unwrapped toys for children of all ages until 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 10th.