DECA is an international association of high school and college students and teachers who strive to reach goals relating to marketing management and sales and services. Recently, DECA held their annual toy drive at Windsor High School.

These toys will not be donated to charities. The toys that have been collected will be distributed to families in the Windsor C-1 School District.

“We work with the intermediate center and elementary school to determine the families that we help. They have a better understanding of the families that are in need,” Wayne Montgomery said.  

Due to parents being unable to afford Christmas gifts, millions of children in the United States will go without presents this year. This unfortunate situation increases emotional stress and dampens the Christmas spirit in these households. With Windsor High School hosting a toy drive, some families can remain cheerful as their children are able to open up the toys that have been collected. In total, $5,000 in toys was raised this year at Windsor High School.

“We had a lot of toys brought in by several students. They played a bigger role this year in the toy drive than in years past,” Montgomery said.

Teachers Stephany Dueker, Tina Boehm, Michelle Dalavaris, and Wayne Montgomery had the top four classes that brought in toys. Dueker’s class came in first with toys valued at $910, Boehm followed behind her with an amount of $770, and tied for third were Dalavaris and Montgomery, with $400 each.

For more ways to help families in need, you can donate to shelters or children’s homes. The number of children’s homes has gone down over the years, but there are still plenty to choose from globally. In St. Louis alone, there are dozens of shelters looking for donations.