Drive-thru Toy Drive is St. Cloud goes in full gear

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$35,000 raised, 2,000 toys collected

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  • Donated toys are brought in to Shamrock Autobody for the Drive-thru Toy Drive on Nov. 14. SUBMITTED PHOTO
    Donated toys are brought in to Shamrock Autobody for the Drive-thru Toy Drive on Nov. 14. SUBMITTED PHOTO
  • Children visit with Santa Claus at Shamrock Autobody during the toy drive. SUBMITTED PHOTO
    Children visit with Santa Claus at Shamrock Autobody during the toy drive. SUBMITTED PHOTO
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About $35,000 was raised. Almost $4,000 in gift cards were collected. And over $2,000 toys donated.

One could say that the We Dare 2 Care’s Drive-Thru Toy Drive was nothing less than amazing at Shamrock Autobody in St. Cloud on Nov. 14.

“It was just overall a good day,” said Mike Reilly Sr., owner of Shamrock and chairman of the Drive-thru Toy Drive Committee.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Reilly estimated 400 to 500 people stopped by Shamrock to drop off toys or gift cards, some as far away as Melbourne. That included 70 bicycles.

“The response itself from the community was excellent,” Reilly said. “They know it was giving back in the community and they wanted to support it.”

We Dare 2 Care is a not-for-profit 501(3) (c) founded by St. Cloud Police Department and local business owners and residents. Efforts are focused on raising money for local charities and qualifying families in need by hosting local events for fundraising.

The charity group hosts a number of fundraisers each year, including the Jingle Bell Ball. In 2019, We Dare 2 Care collected between 2,000 and 3,000 toys at the ball and raised more than $50,000 for children in Osceola. Because COVID-19 prevented the ball this year, the toy drive was born.

The $35,000 raised through sponsorships will now go into a We Dare 2 Care fund that will go to help community members in need. This year, that included two St. Cloud police officers, a child that was viciously attacked by a suspect and a crossing guard that was hit by a car.

The toys and gift cards collected will be distributed through local pastors who received a list from local schools showing children with the greatest need.

Those who drove up and donated had the opportunity to park, and they and their families were able to enjoy photos with Santa, face painting, food vendors and bounce houses.

The response in donation was not only great, but the number of volunteers who chipped in to help was a blessing, Reilly noted.

“So many people were helping out, it was great,” he added.

Reilly was paid many compliments throughout the day by donors, but he said it had nothing to do with him.

“When they say that, it’s not me doing it, it’s them,” he said. “Everybody gave a little bit of themselves.”