MONROE — For Marilyn Pfarr and Pam Drafall, this time of year can be worrisome.

The two lead the Christmas Stocking Project’s toy drive. They agree that as they pop into businesses and peek into donation boxes, they start to panic when they don’t see them filled with toys as fast as previous years. It brings a sense of fright that there may not be enough. 

“It always works out and I always panic for no reason,” Pfarr said with a smile. “I want to do a good job so the money (donated) can go to other places. It’s amazing where it comes from in the end. It always does come together.”

The community seemingly always come through to help hundreds of local children wake up on Christmas morning, not just to things they need — but gifts they want. That’s the reason the two keep working, year after year, to encourage toy drive donations. 

More donated gifts means money given to the group can be allocated elsewhere.

“The more toys we receive frees up the funding for the older kids,” Pfarr said.

Pfarr said the Christmas Stocking Project can be described as having moving parts — and the toy drive is simply one of them. Along with giving toys, the project also donates vouchers to older children for winter and clothing necessities, provides nearly 600 food boxes to the needy and around 200 care boxes to nursing homes. 

The toys reach about 900 children, and that number has steadied in recent years — although it’s fluctuated to see years with many less and more than 1,000.

The list of children is set early on, but it’s almost a certainty more people will be in need than what was anticipated. Someone might lose a job, be in the hospital or regain custody with no necessities at the last minute — and it’s hard not to help, Pfarr said.  

“The number we start with is never the number we end with,” Pfarr said. “There’s always something happening in the community. You hear of job loss or someone without a meal and you make it happen — there are times you dip into your own pocket to make it happen.” 

“We get those last-minute phone calls and we just want to help everybody,” Drafall added.

Pfarr has been involved for about 20 years. She once served as a shopper and was the president of the Monroe Woman’s Club before leading the toy drive. Pfarr said she roped Drafall into helping her several years ago. 

“It’s a big job to go out to all of the stores and ask if they’ll do something,” Drafall said. “But it’s amazing.”

Drafall said they do their best to make sure each young child has a stuffed animal, a book and one “nice gift.” However, there are years when that doesn’t always happen. What’s given reflects the donations that come in, although the goal is to spend around $50 per child.

“We want them to have a nice Christmas,” Pfarr said. “It’s not all about the toys — but toys are a part of each child’s Christmas. I was a child once — and you want what you want. They might not need a toy, but I’d like for them to have it.”  

When they give the toys to members of each family, Pfarr said they let the adults decide in telling the children who gave the gifts. 

Several businesses in the community serve as drop-off centers for toy donations. Larger businesses, like Grande Cheese, involve their employees in giving and then make a corporate match. Christmas Stocking Fund officials are hoping more businesses might participate in something similar.

“They do a fantastic job,” Drafall said of all the businesses and donations that come in.

Though the toy drive is their focus, Pfarr and Drafall also help out with other jobs when needed. Drafall is a retired teacher and knows how much of an impact a project like this has on a community and its children. 

Pfarr, who once volunteered as a shopper, said she loves to see when a person who was previously a recipient of the program comes back to volunteer for the Christmas Stocking Fund and shares their success story. 

“You never know when you might be one of (those who needs help),” she said. “Maybe you get sick or lose your job. There’s always a reason.”

Businesses are called in September. Donated toys are collected for the following year’s Christmas, since shoppers start early. 

And as the days of December pass and the window of donation becomes smaller — Drafall and Pfarr will go to lunch, worry about the toys, but know in their hearts the donations will eventually come and hundreds of children will wake up happy on Christmas, as it should be.

“We’ve always been blessed,” Pfarr said. “The community always steps up and that’s a good feeling.”