The Picayune and KBEY 103.9 FM Toy Drive returns Dec. 3
Chevrolet-Buick, 2301 U.S. 281 in Marble Falls, is one of two locations to which you can bring new, unwrapped toys during The Picayune Magazine and KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune Toy Drive from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3. The other is the Burnet Fire Station at 2022 U.S. 281 South in Burnet. File photo
The Picayune magazine and KBEY 103.9 FM Radio are asking the Highland Lakes community to give back this holiday season with their annual toy drive on Wednesday, Dec. 3, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The drive will collect new, unwrapped toys and financial donations for local children through Burnet County Santa’s Helpers, Christmas is for Kids, and the Granite Shoals Christmas Outreach program. KBEY 103.9 FM Operations Manager Ben Shields will broadcast live from Marble Falls Chevrolet-Buick at 2301 U.S. 281, while KBEY host Mac McClennahan will be at the Burnet Fire Station at 2002 S. Water St.
Reflecting on the importance of the drive this year, McClennahan emphasized the community’s resilience in the face of recent devastation.
“This year feels especially important after all we’ve been through– the floods, the heartbreak, and the people still working to rebuild homes or start over,” McClennahan said. “What really gets me, though, is how even in the middle of their own struggles, so many people still step up to help their neighbors.”
Shields emphasized the importance of sharing the joy of Christmas with local children and making sure every child in the area experiences the magic of the holiday.
“I feel like the toy drive makes our readers and listeners harken back to their childhood. We remember opening up our Christmas gifts and it being so magical,” Shields said. “We all have our favorite toy that we recall receiving. This is an opportunity to make sure that every child in the Highland Lakes gets to experience the joy of Christmas morning.”
Building on that sentiment, Victory Media Publisher Mandi Goldsmith expressed the importance of the generosity of the community over the years as the 14th annual drive approaches.
“They say the greatest joy is in giving– and our listeners and readers prove it year after year. The outpouring of support we see during this drive is one of the most powerful things we do all year. It reminds us how deeply this community cares, and how determined we are to make the holidays brighter for every child.”
In 2024, the toy drive collected hundreds of gifts and $6,524 in donations, and this year, the organizers hope to exceed that generosity.