The Salvation Army of Marquette County provided an update this week on the number of families and children who will be receiving toys collected through the Cheer Club and other programs such as Toys for Tots and Walmart’s Angel Tree initiative.

The number of registered families has exceeded 250, and the number of children who will receive toys and other gifts is well beyond that.

“We have roughly 275 families and 600 children registered,” said Salvation Army Capt. Doug Winters. “Some of this is still in flux, as we are still processing late applications for families that had submitted applications that were incomplete.”

Final numbers will be announced at a later date.

Margaret Brumm holds items from local businesses that she donated to The Mining JournalÕs Cheer Club on Dec. 9. (Journal photo by Lisa Bowers)

Last year, The Salvation Army helped 367 families and 741 kids across Marquette and Alger counties through its toy donation initiatives. The Cheer Club program alone collected 1,719 toys and gift items.

One major Cheer Club donation this week was from Marthaler Automotive, which continued its longstanding tradition of donating new children’s bicycles through the program.

“The bikes will support families in need this holiday season,” Marthaler General Manager Nikki Remilong said. “This is a tradition that Public Service Garage started and then we just continued it on.

“So many families are struggling, and there’s a lot of people in need this year, more so than other years, and we just want to try and help.”

Cheer Club donations will continue to be collected through Thursday.

Mason LaPlaunt and his grandmother Chris Gauthier of Marquette are shown with sleds and toys they donated to the Cheer Club at the Journal office Dec. 11. (Journal photo by Renee Prusi)

Gifts are distributed through The Salvation Army and St. Vincent de Paul, and can be dropped off at The Mining Journal office in downtown Marquette; St. Vincent de Paul; Range Bank locations in Marquette, Harvey and Negaunee; Salvation Army locations in Ishpeming and Marquette; and Ace Hardware in Gwinn.

In order to follow COVID-19 protocols, a donation box has been set up inside the vestibule of The Mining Journal office along West Washington Street. Donors are asked to leave their names and hometown on the sign-in sheet next to the donation box, so each donor can be recognized in the newspaper.

If you would like your photo taken with your donation, please ring the buzzer near the exterior door and a masked Journal staff member will take your photo from a safe distance. Photos are available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Ryan Spitza can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 248. His email address is rspitza@miningjournal.net.

Salvation Army representative Brian Gauthier picks up items on Wednesday that have been donated to the Mining Journal Cheer Club for distribution to families in need during events Thursday and today. (Journal photo by Lisa Bowers)