Written by Amanda Coers – Over 1,300 Brownwood area children will have a very merry Christmas thanks to an outpouring of donations to the Brown County Toys for Kids program. This year’s toy drive was dedicated in honor of Brian Wade, a well-loved local radio talent who passed away unexpectedly in November.
“If Brian were here right now, he would be ecstatic. If he could see this stack as tall as he was, he would just be on cloud nine right now,” said Leland Acker, coworker and longtime friend of Wade.
The Brown County Toys for Kids program started in 1997 through the efforts of Dennis Thacker, and his wife, Wanda. For over 20 years the program has helped financially-challenged parents give new toys to their children on Christmas. The program had only a few years without distribution as founder Dennis Thacker was battling cancer. During years in remission, he and his family would resume their work to bless families in the area for Christmas.
In 2006, after Thacker passed away, Brian Wade stepped forward and wanted to help the family continue their work. He came up with the idea to hold a “Two-Steppin’ for Toys” drive, a friendly competition between local radio stations in Brownwood. Each year KOXE/KBWD and Wendlee Broadcasting would hold an all-day toy drive, encouraging donations and attempting to outdo each other – all in good fun, and for the benefit of children.
With Wade’s sudden passing, his family called upon the community to make this year’s toy drive the best ever. The community responded with record donations. KOXE/KBWD reported close to $6,000 in cash donations, with Wendlee Broadcasting collecting over $8,000.
Well over 3,000 toys have also been dropped off at the two radio station drives.
“It was another incredible day at KOXE, hosting our 11th Two-stepping for toys,” Carl Wayne shared. “Thanks to the generosity and support of the community, many Brown county boys and girls will experience a Brighter Christmas.”
“This may be twice as many toys as we’ve ever had before,” said Rex Tackett, General Manager of Wendlee Broadcasting.
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“We’ve had so many toys, it’s been hard to keep up,” said Leland Acker. “This is the community, we’re just here receiving,” said Acker. “It’s the sponsors that held their own toy drives and then brought those toys here, it’s the people that drive by, see what we’re doing, and then run to the store to buy some toys, it’s the people that stop and make cash donations.”
Stacee Hetzel, daughter of Dennis Thacker, continues the work her father started along with her family as they coordinate the toy distribution each year. She explained her family is happily overwhelmed at the amount of donations and the support for the program and the toy drive Brian Wade started.
“I feel like a lot of people are showing love for Brian with what we see here,” said Hetzel. “It’s not just how much is out here, it’s the quality,” she added. Children signed up with the toy program are able to write wish lists for specific items. Countless donations have been made with those wishes in mind, everything from bikes, electronics, even a puppy for one little boy.
An out of town donor heard of the special wish for a puppy and called the Corinne T. Smith Animal Shelter in Brownwood to sponsor an adoption as well as donate money for dog food. A touching donation that surely would have made Wade smile.
“The turnout has been spectacular,” said Barry Rose with KOXE/KBWD. “Brian was a very generous person, and he always had a big heart. You can see the outpouring today, from all the people that Brian touched with his life.”
“It’s a testament to who Brian was,” said Tackett.
