RUMFORD — The 15th annual Dixfield Discount Fuel Toy Drive is off and running, with a goal to again bring smiles to local school kids of all ages at Christmastime. 

Katie Houghton, office manager at DDF and president of the DDF Toy Drive (501c3 nonprofit), said this year’s Toy Drive effort began on Sept. 1 as Kevin Jamison, manager of Aubuchon Hardware of Rumford, began a campaign to accept donations to bring joy to local kids in need this holiday season. He said the Aubuchon Foundation has generously agreed to match donations up to $2,500, providing the potential to present a $5,000 check to the Toy Drive. 

Through Sept. 21, the total was already over $900. 

The DDF Toy Drive’s big event will be on Saturday, Nov. 16 with the third annual Thanks Christmas Giving Event at Boondocks Farm, 1 Shelakis Dr., Canton. There will be a kiddee corner and a craft fair, with more details to follow. 

It’s $5 cover charge or bring a toy to donate. 

There will be a number of crafters and vendors to visit, pictures with Santa, a kids activity table, holiday music, food, drinks and more. 

Houghton said they’ve gotten at 200 toys at this event for the last two years. 

She said they’re starting out with the raffle basket and are looking for donations. The entire basket is usually loaded with donated gift cards. DDF is also going to include the 100 gallons of heating oil as part of the raffle basket. 

That basket will be displayed at DDF office at 1180 U.S. Rt. 2 in Rumford, where tickets will be available. Houghton said the winning name will be drawn at their office on Nov. 18. 

With her new secretary, Caly Gordon, she noted, “This is our 15th year. That’s a big, big thing. We have a plan and we’re going to conquer this smoothly. We’re going to be reaching out to the schools earlier, and give the staff more time to reach out to these kids and their families.” 

Last year was their largest toy drive to date, with 13 truckloads of toys. “It takes so much work and it’s so exciting to have this to look forward to. This winter, we’re got a full staff so far,” noted Houghton. 

Around Halloween, boxes for toy donations will be in place all over the River Valley. People can also come to the office to pick up a toy box. 

Houghton said they need wrapping paper. “We’d like to wrap those boxes to make them look like Christmas.” 

With the last toy drive, they had sponsors for around 300 kids for three local schools — Dirigo Elementary School, Rumford Elementary School and Meroby Elementary School. 

“Almost every kid (sponsored) gets a new jacket, snow pants and boots. My goal is to keep them warm,” said Houghton. 

And the money that has been saved is used by Toy Drive volunteers to go shopping to buy extra item, and those toys will go in the bag for the sponsored kids along with the clothing. 

Some people can do the whole sponsor. Others split one with their best friend or their mom. And some can only afford the snow pants, “so I kick in the rest with what we have here. That why we need enough time to order,” said Houghton. 

Houghton said they also do separate boxes for students at the Western Foothills Regional Program (Pennacook) and the Chisholm School. 

And for the last two years, she said they’ve taken a half-truck load of toys to students at the Hartford-Sumner Elementary School right before vacation. 

“The bigger we get, the more schools we can help,” noted Houghton. 

The delivery day to the schools will be about Dec. 9 

If you can’t help with a donation at this time. You could also take a toy drive box and have your office collect toys as well. FMI: call the DDF office at 562-0972 or visit their Facebook page at Dixfield Discount Fuel, Inc.