Fayette

County's scouting community is now collecting new toys

for distribution to needy children through the county's

Department of Family and Children Services.

Initiated

last year by Scout leader and district commissioner Mike

Jerrell, Boy Scouts, Cubs, Explorers and Venturers

collected approximately 850 new toys and gifts for DFCS

clients. "Scouting for Toys" was born in

"response to a need in the community," Jerrell

said.

"This

was the first time DFCS has not gone wanting," he

added. "We were successful beyond our

imaginations."

Jerrell

challenged the mindset that there are no needy people in

Fayette County, explaining to scout leaders last week

that the idea is "far from realty."

"There

are homeless people in Fayette County; there are women

and children living in shelters, we have the boys

home," he said. "DFCS is stretched pretty thin,

in what they do. We'd like to pursue this

year-round," Jerrell said.

While the

project is focusing on toys, this year the Scouts hope to

include gifts for the elderly as well.

"You

can also donate gift wrap," Jerrell reminded the

scout leaders.

Recalling

the efforts of last year's Scouts, leaders were reminded

of a 16-year-old girl involved in a Scout Venturing unit

who used her Christmas gift money to purchase two

Nintendo sets, a troop that collected $350 to buy new

clothes for the needy and another group that dispensed

with their annual gift exchange to use the money to buy

toys.

Items

collected will be stored at Cycle Specialty on Ga.

Highway 85 and Kenwood Road in Fayetteville until ready

for delivery to DFCS. Several Scout units also are

planning to help sort and wrap the gifts.