By Patricia Roy

Would you like to make the holidays a little brighter for families in need?

 The Holliston and Ashland police departments can help you with that.

Together, the two departments are holding their “Fill a Cruiser” event, where they partner with the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 10. The event is held at the Big Lots parking lot, 41 Pond St, (Route 126), Ashland. 

Officers from Ashland and Holliston will be on hand to help collect the gifts.

Presents (only new, unwrapped and non-violent) are needed for ages 3 years old up through high school.

“There are always lots of gifts for the younger kids, but sometimes there are things that are needed like gift cards for the older kids,” Holliston Police Chief Matthew Stone said.“Sometimes the middle school and high school gets left out.”

Gifts can also be left off at the Holliston Police Department (550 Washington St., Route 16) or Ashland Police Department, (12 Union St.).

Beginning the weekend after Thanksgiving, the collection boxes will rival the laden shelves at Santa’s North Pole workshop.

“For the next three or four weeks, it’s non-stop. People just come out of the woodwork and bring toys; they have their kids bring toys,” he said, adding that it’s a lesson in giving for his own young children.

The Fill a Cruiser event is only a piece of the toy collection efforts.

It’s located at the Big Lots because they have aisles of moderately priced toys. Sometimes people will see the Cruiser and dash back into the store to buy a present to add to the rest, the Chief said.

Local groups, businesses and organizations will collect toys and drop them at the police station in place of an office holiday party or Yankee Swap, said Stone.

“We’ll get a call saying, “We had a company party Saturday night and I have 25 toys, can I bring them by?”” he said.

Holliston has been active in the Toys for Tots program for years, and is a well-established drop center. The station is open 24/7 which makes it convenient so people can drop off toys anytime.

“I also have 30 police officers who can help me load them into a truck or a van to take them to the drop center,” he joked.

The toys make their way to a large distribution center that changes its location from time to time, but has been in Burlington for a few years, Stone explained. 

The toys are sorted by age and type so people in need can put in a request, then sometime in the middle of December, they’ll be invited to go to the center and pick out toys they know their kids would like.

“There’s a room of all Barbie dolls,” he said. “Technically the drive ends on Dec. 11, and it’s to give time to get the gifts out to families.”

In addition to being new and unwrapped toys, the gifts should also be non-violent, Stone said.

“No guns, no Nerf guns, no swords,” he said. 

The drive has collected some big-ticket items in the past like bicycles and X-boxes, so if it’s in your budget, let the spirit of giving lead you.

The police officers enjoy the toy drive, since it allows them to extend their service to the community.

“It’s another way of serving,” Stone said. “If someone is having a bad year or a tough time, we’re there to help. We don’t get to see the kids opening gifts on Christmas, but knowing we can make a little kid happy means a lot.”