During the holiday season, many organizations in Statesboro display their servant hearts by dedicating time and resources to worthy causes. Among them is the Statesboro Jaycees, who, in addition to hosting summer fundraisers like Jaycees Night Out, help coordinate the Toys for Tots campaign in Bulloch County.

The Jaycees have a long history in Bulloch County, though the organization has not been active continuously over the last several decades. According to Toys for Tots Chair Hayden LaTulip, the club dissolved in the early 1990s but was reinstated in 2014.

“The Statesboro Jaycees is the local chapter for JCI USA, an organization made up of young professionals, ages 21–40, who work together to make a difference within their communities,” she said. “Our local chapter offers programs and projects that provide individuals with a unique opportunity to better themselves and their community, all while meeting new people.”

Jaycees President Christy Kennedy highlighted additional programs the group supports. 

“We have worked diligently over the years to volunteer in the community and raise funds for local nonprofits such as Esther’s Place, The Teal House, Bikers Against Child Abuse, Light the Night, Relay for Life and many other amazing organizations in Bulloch County,” she said.

Another long-standing partnership is with the Kiwanis Club of Statesboro. Each year, Jaycees members assist at the annual Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair by selling tickets and helping with other duties. In return, the Kiwanis Club allows the Jaycees to use the fairgrounds for the annual Toys for Tots distribution day.

Toys for Tots campaign

A program founded by the Marine Corps Reserve, Toys for Tots is widely recognized for its mission to provide gifts to children during the holidays. Willie Haynes, area Toys for Tots coordinator for the past 37 years, offered insight into the program’s broader impact.

“Marine Toys for Tots, known for its core mission of Christmastime charitable efforts, has evolved into a year-round force for good, ensuring that no child is forgotten any day of the year,” he said. “The program’s support extends beyond the holiday season because hope and comfort are needed year-round. 

“This is the 77th year Toys for Tots will provide hope and joy to less fortunate children.”

The Statesboro Jaycees began working with the campaign in 2020 after learning that Haynes had been searching for a group of volunteers to help make the drive a success in Bulloch County. 

“Our first meeting (with Haynes) was via Zoom since this was during COVID, but we worked together and made it happen,” LaTulip said. “We were inspired because our Jaycees core values are leadership, fellowship, service and development, (and) the Toys for Tots campaign embodies all of these. It was a perfect fit.”

LaTulip, along with her husband, Matt, manages key aspects of the campaign, including allocating collection boxes, picking up donated toys, and helping organize and distribute them.

Serving the community

Kennedy emphasized the importance of the campaign to the Jaycees.

“Toys for Tots is one of our most important projects,” she said. “No child deserves to be left out on Christmas.”

Vice President Bailey Brinson shared her enthusiasm for the event.

“Being able to give back to the children in our community is hugely rewarding,” she said. “Practicing the core value of service means a lot to me and the majority of our members.”

The Toys for Tots campaign officially kicks off each year on October 1, and LaTulip and Haynes work closely together to align application deadlines and other key dates. The team then promotes the drive through social media and press releases and delivers collection boxes to local businesses. In early December, the boxes of toys are retrieved.

One ongoing challenge is the limited number of toys donated for older children and teens. Monetary donations to the Jaycees this year, earmarked for Toys for Tots, will be used to fill those gaps. The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation also provides supplemental toys as needed.

Any leftover toys are donated to other community organizations, including Fostering Families, the Statesboro Family YMCA, the Boys & Girls Club of Bulloch County, and the United Way of Southeast Georgia.

Making a lasting impact

Before distribution day, volunteers from the Jaycees and other organizations gather at the fairgrounds to sort and prepare the toys.

“This is where we go through and count the toys, organize them, and then ‘shop’ for the applicant families,” LaTulip said. “Everyone really gets into it and is so careful and considerate when shopping for their families.”

Last year, the campaign provided toys to 1,964 children in the community. For LaTulip, pickup day is when all the hard work pays off.  

“Obviously, you can’t be there with the families on Christmas morning watching the children open gifts, but this is a pretty close second,” she said. “We load up the toys in the applicants’ vehicles and wish them a Merry Christmas. You really feel the Christmas spirit in that moment.”

Throughout his decades of work with the program, Haynes has seen firsthand how its impact often extends far beyond Christmas morning. 

“The most rewarding part is meeting applicants years later who have changed their lives by receiving help from Toys for Tots, which shows them that someone cares,” he said. “One particular applicant I recall is a young lady who told me, ‘I’m going to change my life by the next time you see me.’ Five years later, I ran into her, and she had completed a degree in education and was teaching school. She came back to volunteer as a way to pay it forward.”

The simple act of donating a toy has the power to inspire an entire community, bringing hope to families and creating a ripple effect of kindness for years to come.