Here's the info via the Eblen Charities email newsletter:

INGLES TOY STORE OPENS AS WLOS TOY DRIVE, SMOKY MOUNTAIN TOY RUN, AND COMMUNITY PROVIDES CHRISTMAS GIFTS
FOR LOCAL CHILDREN THIS YEAR

Ingles,WLOS, Clear Channel, Harley Owners Group, Hundreds of Individuals and Companies Join Eblen inTouchingThousands of LivesThis Christmas

This Monday, a new Christmas tradition will begin in our community as the Ingles Toy Store opens to thousands of families and agencies to provide a memorable and Merry Christmas to children in our area who otherwise may find an empty tree on Christmas Morning.

Located in the Westgate Shopping Center the Ingles Toy Store will be the site of thousands of toys,
games, dolls, and stocking stuffers that will serve families and their children in our community who may be less fortunate during these difficult times.

In partnership with Eblen Charities’ St. Nicholas Project, the Ingles Toy Store will be one of the busiest centers of Christmas activ- ity in our area as the doors open to families who put their own needs of food, clothing, and other neces- sities aside just to see their chil- dren smile on Christmas Morning.

This year’s St. Nicholas Project began with the WLOS News 13 Toy Drive on Friday, December 2nd at Caro- lina Furniture Concepts in Arden where thousands of toys were collected in a 15 hour marathon, and contin- ued with nearly 2,000 riders joining in the 31st Annual Smoky Mountain Toy Run that brought in a record number of toys that will surly brighten up Christmas morning to so many deserving families and their chil- dren.

“This Christmas thousands of area children will have a brighter holiday thanks to the generosity of Ingles, WLOS, Clear Channel, Tony and Isa Fraga, the Smoky Mountain Toy Run, Kudzu Consultants, Carolina Furniture Consultants, Two Men and a Truck, the Harley Owners Group, and so many others who have vol- unteered their time, and donated to our toy drives,” states Bill Murdock, executive director of Eblen Chari- ties. “To again be working with Ingles on such a wonderful and important project is not only a great honor for us, but will touch so many more lives than ever before.”

But the Christmas Season is far from over and more and more families are contacting Eblen Charities this year during these difficult economic times than ever before. More children were signed up for Christmas assistance on our first day than Eblen Charities assisted the entire Christmas Season two years ago. So dona- tions are still needed to provide a bright Christmas for those who may be less fortunate.

The St. Nicholas Project is once again working with the Asheville Optimist Club ‘s Santa Pal program as well as distributing Toys for Tots toys in Buncombe County.
Toys and donations can be dropped off at the Ingles Toy Store or the Eblen Charities Waddell Client Service Center at the Westgate Shopping Center or at Harley-Davidson of Asheville in Swannanoa, any Beverly- Hanks Office, Clear Channel in West Asheville, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Department, Asheville Po- lice Department, Party Boulevard in Skyland, Buncombe County Schools, Outback Steakhouse, Fatz Cafe, Arby’s, First Citizen’s Bank, Apollo Flame on Brevard Road, Hickory Tavern, Ace Hardware in Swannanoa, Applied Solutions, Asheville Cleaners, Asheville Realty, Atlanta Bread Company, BMW of Asheville, Caro- lina Day, Chick-fil-A in Skyland, Edward Jones on Tunnel Road and Merrimon Ave, Forest Commercial Bank, Frankie Bones, Kangaroo Connivence Store, Leicester Carpets, the office of Congressman Heath Shuler, Rev It Up Sandwich Shop, Southern Community Bank, Stanley’s Station, State Employee’s Credit Union, Sun- shine Chevrolet, Valley Truck Service, Webb Insurance, Wells Fargo Advisors, WLOS, and the Eblen Chari- ties.
Our special thanks to Tom Outlaw, Bobby Ingle, Jim Lanning, Melissa Leavell, and David Bay of Ingles Mar- kets; Jack Connors, Estee Felton, Victoria Dunkle, Frank Fabroni, and Adam McAnulty of WLOS; Jeff Davis, Caroline Early, Eddie Foxx, Sharon Greene and the staff of of Clear Channel Radio; Todd Campbell of Two Men and a Truck; Carolina Furniture Concepts; Steve Kaser, Gary Aiken, Mike Eveland, Charles Swanger and all the Harley Owners Group; the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Department, the Asheville Po- lice Department, and all the volunteers for their kindness and allowing us the opportunity to join them in this great event and tremendous outreach to better serve those in times of need in our community, espe- cially during the holiday season. If you would still like to join us in the St. Nicholas Project Project please contact Bill Murdock Eblen Charities at 828-255-2848 or via email at eblenfoud@aol.com.