Krista Corner Havre Daily News kcorner@havredailynews.com
The Hi-Line's kids won't be cold this winter and there's plenty of toys to help mom and dad give a good Christmas. The Havre Jaycees hosts their annual open house Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. for parents needing Koats for Kids or Toys for Tots. Jaycee President Chamene Plum said Thursday that about $1,000 in new toys were purchased this year. "We purchased $500 in new toys with part of the haunted house funds," she said. "A couple of businesses in town donated $500 more for toys." Plum added that $2,500 from the haunted house funds went toward the purchase of new coats this year. Many people also donated used coats, she said. "We probably got over 100 coats ranging from child sizes to adult," she said. The Jaycees put boxes out at Gary & Leo's Fresh Foods IGA, Griggs Printing, K-Mart and Wal-Mart on Nov. 1. One of the Jaycees volunteered to check the boxes and collect the goods two or three times a week, Plum said. Tuesday they picked up the boxes and coats and toys for the final time. Plum said the toys were taken to storage and the coats unloaded at Havre Laundry & Dry Cleaning, who donates the cleaning of the used coats to the cause. Neither Plum nor members Christy Owens and Terra Vogel knew exactly how long the drive had been a part of the Havre Jaycees. "This is my eighth year, as a Jaycee, but they did it for a long time before that," Plum said. Owens and Vogel said the drive had been around for "many years." Eagl e s bar t ende r Je n Brostrom said the collection and give-away has been a tradition for her for almost a decade. "I've been waiting on some of the Jaycees for almost 10 years," she said. "They're awesome people and they're nice to deal with. You've got to be nice if you're going to volunteer your time for something good like that." To get a special toy or a nice clean coat, head to the basement of the Eagles Club Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m.
