The 19th annual Tiny Tim Charity Toy Breakfast in Kelowna on Thursday morning drew a large crowd, but even bigger donations.
The event, held at the Coast Capri Hotel, offered a complimentary breakfast in exchange for a new, unwrapped toy or cash donation for the Salvation Army’s annual Christmas campaign.
Darryl Burry, lead pastor and executive director of the Salvation Army branch in Kelowna, said Thursday morning’s breakfast was a “critical event,” calling it the largest one-day toy drive of the season.
Burry said the toys will go to families that have experienced challenges in life, ensuring there will be gifts under the tree on Christmas day.
Among the many local residents who donated toys were Judy Pasitney and Kathryn Parkhill.
Asked why she donated, Pasitney said it’s great to see gifts going to children who don’t have what many of our children do have.
Parkhill said she’s been attending the breakfast for years now, stating she knows there are children who don’t get toys and that she loves buying toys for children.
Burry said seeing so many donations “is a wonderful sight. I’ve had so many people come and say that this event being at the beginning of December really kicks off the Christmas spirit for them.”