The Stuffed Seward Cruiser-full of Christmas Toys is “Un-stuffed” for the Seward Area Children for 2017!

The motto of Rotary International is “Service Above Self” and that happened this last week-end in Seward with the annual “Stuff the Cruiser” Campaign, as hundreds of toys were distributed to area needy families in the annual toy drive.

The Stuffed Seward Cruiser-full of Christmas Toys is “Un-stuffed” for the Seward Area Children for 2017!

The motto of Rotary International is “Service Above Self” and that happened this last week-end in Seward with the annual “Stuff the Cruiser” Campaign, as hundreds of toys were distributed to area needy families in the annual toy drive.

The local Christmas Toy campaign by the Seward Rotary Club and the Seward Police Department called “Stuff the Cruiser” was officially declared a success by all involved, as the local, annual toy distribution was completed on Saturday, December 16th at the Seward Civic Center.  The event featured parents selecting from wide array of toys and gifts for each registered child, age’s birth up to age 12.  The gifts, donated by the community, were directed for children who may not be able to experience a Christmas due to family financial concerns.  Guardians and parents simply had to register their children and ages for the event.  The parents/guardians were able to select the gifts that they wanted for each child. Multiple gifts were offered for each child.

The event featured a special reception at the Civic Center in the morning of the toy distribution party, offering Christmas music, cookie, donuts and candy, as the parents waited their turn to select and receive their large sack of toys, gifts, gift cards, movie passes games and books for each child.

“The number of children involved from across Seward County was equal to last this, as almost 100 children were each presented with toys/gifts collected from the community of Seward residents,” stated  Rotary Co-Chairman for the project-Alan Baldwin and  Melanie Ayres for the Seward Rotary Club.

”A special drawing was held to distribute the very large gifts and many bikes donated for the children,” commented co hostess Rotarian Shelia Beins .  “We were so grateful for the major cash gifts from area individuals, families, businesses and organizations, as it allowed us to purchase items the parents really wanted for the children.”

“We really appreciated the assistance from the Concordia Girls Softball team with the collection of gifts, and the SHS student volunteers, who helped with the distribution of gifts,” stated Rotarian Sue Tonniges, longtime project leader.

“This project really brings our Rotary Club together and involves more members than any other project we do during the year”, stated Rotary President Russ Sommerfeld. “The Rotarians and their spouses and families work very hard to make sure that every request is as close to being filled as possible and that every child is guaranteed toys and gifts for Christmas!”

Project Co-Chair, Chief Alan Baldwin commented, “In all of my years of serving and promoting this project, I have never seen the outpouring of generosity from the community, as I did this year!  It was overwhelming-as the residents of the area really supported this effort with toys, gift cards and cash to fund the project,” said Baldwin.  He continued, “It was a great team effort for the Seward Rotary Club and the Seward Police Department employees-not to mention the wonderful help from the staff at the Civic Center and local businesses that allowed us to collect on their property.  It will be a much more Merry Christmas for many because of this project!”

The Rotary Club and Seward Police Department are still collecting funds and toys and is also willing to present toys to area children that need assistance for them to experience a Christmas with gifts.  Toys can be dropped off at the Seward Police Department through December 20th.  The Police Department is located at 159 S. First Street.  The toys are sorted, identified and bagged for the individual children, by the sponsoring organizations-the Seward Rotary Club and the Seward Police Department. The toys are distributed to area children whose families may not be able to afford Christmas gifts this year.  Contact Chief Baldwin, if there is still a needy family in the area that requires assistance for Christmas.  

To nominate a child for a bag of gifts, contact the “Stuff the Cruiser” hotline -- contact Police Chief Alan Baldwin at the Seward Police Station.  Information needed includes Parent’s name, child’s name, age and sex and a time that they can arrange a pick-up of the bag of toys.   The program is for children that are newborn through age 1.

Rotary members and local police officers gathered the toys in front of area businesses during the week-end of December 9 and 10 and sorted and organized and divided the toys into large gift selection tables on Tuesday, December 12 and Thursday, December 14, 2017 at the Civic Center.  

Event chairs for the annual event were Melanie Ayres for the Seward Rotary Club and Alan Baldwin-Chief of Police for the Seward Police Department.  Seward Rotarians, Sue Tonniges and Shelia Beins served as the volunteer coordinators of distribution for the project, assisted by the other members and spouses of the Seward Rotary Club and Seward Police Department.  The phone contact volunteers were Rotary members Jon and Bonnie Kruse, who tabulated the parents and children’s names for the distribution. 

 The GFWC Seward Woman’s Club furnished supplies and treats for the annual gathering of the families, as they waited for the distribution of their toys.  Also assisting in the project were the members of the Concordia University Women’s Softball Team, under the direction of their coach- Todd LaVelle-who is also a member of the Seward Rotary.  

The campaign is still collecting donations and financial gifts to assist in this year’s campaign.  Any funds remaining after the campaign will be kept in a separate account for next year’s drive.  Donations to assist in funding this annual toy/gift drive should be directed to the “Stuff the Cruiser” Toy Drive, % Shelly Nitz-Treasurer, Box 469., Seward, NE 68434.

The cooperation of the Seward Civic Center-Randy Sanley, the Cross Makers group, Wal-Mart, Dollar General and other local retail businesses, the Seward Independent and the many local residents who supported the annual program is appreciated by the Rotary Club, Seward Police Department and especially by the many local children that each received a large sack of toys this holiday season.  As a result of the “Stuff the Cruiser” Campaign, many local children were able to receive their gifts in time for Christmas on behalf of the Seward Police Department and the Seward Rotary Club!