Press release from Eblen Charities:
For thousands of families and their children in our community, the Christmas season doesn’t begin in the pre-dawn hours of “Black Friday” or the early sales on Thanksgiving evening. For them, Christmas begins with the kindness of countless families, companies, organizations and individuals who generously volunteer and donate toys and dollars to the Eblen Charities St. Nicholas Project. This year, Eblen Charities is again honored and privileged to be joining two events this week that have become as much of a tradition in our mountains as the “Jolly Old Elf” himself.
This Thursday, the Seventh Annual Ingles Magical Christmas Toy Drive will begin its three-day event in partnership with Ingles Markets, WLOS-TV 13, WMYA -My40, Star 104.3, the Brew 97.7, WWNC-570, Rock 105.1, the Revolution 880 AM and the Asheville Citizen-Times, and will once again help provide gifts to thousands of children and bring excitement, bright eyes, and happy faces on Christmas morning.
The event will be held at the Ingles on Tunnel Road (across from Outback) and will begin on Thursday, Nov. 29 and run through the afternoon of Saturday, Dec. 1. Other iHeart Radio stations, along with WLOS TV, will be broadcasting the toy drive that will bring a Merry Christmas to thousands of families in our community. Hours for the Toy Drive are Thursday, Nov. 29, 4:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 30, 6:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.; and Saturday, Dec. 1, 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
New, unwrapped toys and monetary donations will be accepted for the Saint Nicholas Project during the drive and the entire Christmas Season at Eblen Charities Waddell Client Service Center at 50 Westgate Parkway in the Westgate Shopping Center in West Asheville and also can be dropped off at hundreds of locations around our community. Last year, the Saint Nicholas Project provided Christmas gifts, clothes, food, and other items to nearly 4,500 children and their families who are in need in our community. Thanks to our generous sponsors, donors, staff, and volunteers, thousands of children and their families are able to have a bright and memorable holiday that they may otherwise have been without.
Our special thanks to Bobby Ingle, Jim Lanning, Tom Outlaw and Melissa Leavell of Ingles Markets; Brian Hall, Caroline Earley, Josh Michael, Ariel Rymer and everyone at of iHeart Radio; and Joe Fishleigh and everyone at WLOS-TV and the Asheville Citizen-Times 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, especially during the holiday season. Our heartfelt thanks to our presenting sponsors: the Smoky Mountain Toy Run, AvL Technologies, Friday’s Staffing, Two Men and a Truck, Mission Health, the Smoky Mountain Hog Chapter, Great Beginnings-Great Smiles Dentistry, Wicked Weed Brewing, and all the wonderful companies, organizations, and groups that are collecting toys with our drop boxes.
If you would like to join us in providing a memorable Christmas this year to so many families in these difficult times, you can make a cash or check donation or donate an unwrapped toy. Please drop by Ingles Markets on Tunnel Road Thursday, Nov. 29 through Saturday, Dec. 1. For more information on the St. Nicholas Project, please contact Bill Murdock at Eblen Charities at 828-242-2848 or via email at wmurdock@eblencharities.org.
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