Local radio personalities of KOXE and Wendlee Broadcasting held simultaneous toy drives benefitting Brown County Toys for Kids.  In total, their efforts raised thousands of toys and over $14,000 in cash for the program.

Brian Wade of Wendlee Broadcasting stated that he was amazed at how the community can come together for a cause.  Since both radio stations started doing the toy drive on the same day, it didn’t divide the toys in half, Wade stated, “I believe it doubled it and that’s great for Toys for Kids.  It’s been another banner year.”

Wendlee personalities Brian Wade, Leland Acker and Britt Frank worked the toy drive at the old Bank of America parking lot on Main Street while Carl Wayne and Rick Phelps of KOXE were set up at the intersection near their station.  Both stations recruited the help of volunteers from local businesses and organizations to help them work passing traffic for donations of cash and toys.

Wade reported that $2510 had been raised through donations from passersby plus $5000 from an anonymous donor and a huge pile of toys at Wendlee’s event.  At the close of the event, Wade stated that Bruner Auto Group had called stating they were bringing a pickup truckload of toys to add to the day’s total count.

Carl Wayne stated that KOXE had collected 1,733 toys, a new record for their event “Two Stepping for Toys” along with cash donations of $7006.92.

“On behalf of everyone at the Brown Count Toys for Kids, we at KOXE would like to thank the entire community for their show of love and support of the children of Brown County… It was an incredible day of giving here at the studios,” said Carl Wayne.  “And obviously we appreciate so much the work that Wanda (Thacker) and the family does at Brown County Toys for kids… They work so hard in making sure these kids have a wonderful Christmas.”

Pictured above are members of the Heart of Texas Chapter of Buckmasters American Deer Foundation (left to right) Connie Hart, Tim Schoen, and Sunni Modawell as they donated $3000 worth of toys and bicycles at KOXE Wednesday morning.  Below are more photos from both radio stations’ events.

Even Santa helped gather donations.

Volunteers from Toys for Kids, local businesses and non-profit organizations encouraged passersby to make cash or toy donations.

National guardsmen joined Wendlee radio personalities Wednesday morning to collect cash and toys on Main Street.