By RYAN SCOTT OTTNEY
PDT Staff Writer

New Boston Police Department began last month collecting names and donations for this years' Children's Christmas Fund. This month, they said, they have more names than donations and are asking for help.

Each year, the department collects new toys and clothes, and accepts monetary donations to buy even more, and then a week before Christmas they deliver them all to needy children around New Boston with Santa Claus riding in the old fashion fire truck.

There have been so many families added to the list this year that Davis said she had to stop accepting them. They already have 250 names this season (nearly 100 more than last year) and not enough gifts to help them all.

"We need donations of money, and new, unwrapped toys or clothing. Anything. We prefer not to take used stuff. Every kids deserves new stuff for Christmas," said Officer Diane Davis of the New Boston Police Department.

To help the department raise money, City Limits donated one night of its laser tag and bowling for a special fund raiser earlier this month. Davis said only 13 people showed up to the fund raiser, and they were all police officers and their families.

Also, a biker's group collects money from motorists each year at the corner of Ohio 139. This year, the group has been moved to the Wal-mart and Kmart mall entrances and will have their collection next weekend. Davis said she doesn't expect to get nearly as much from the collection as they have in the past.

"I'm hoping that will help, but with the economy the way it is, people just aren't able to give like they normally do. I'm sure they still want to. Their heart's still in the right place, but they just can't do it," Davis said.

Aside from the economy, Davis said another reason they have so many names this year may be because other agencies that also usually have toy drives aren't having them this year. Their absence shifts a greater responsibility of serving the entire county onto New Boston alone.

"We're still hoping that some of the businesses and private individuals donate, even if it's just $20 or $10. A lot of people just bring in $10 and say, 'This is all I can do.' We still have hope that more people like that will come in," Davis said.

An account has been established at Desco Federal Credit Union, called the New Boston Police Christmas Fund, and people can deposit their cash donations into the account.

For those wanting to donate items instead of cash, Davis only asks that if the gift is already wrapped, people please identify on the package whether it's for a boy or girl, and the clothing sizes, if applicable. For more information on how you can contribute to the Toy Drive, contact Davis at the New Boston Police Department at (740) 456-4109.