From left, Salvation Army Capts. Doug and Kim Winters, Peter and Audrey Kaufman, First Bank Upper Michigan Foundation Investment Manager Tom Humphrey, Foundation Trustees Al Edgar and Steve Mattson, and Salvation Army Advisory Board member Neil Jandron are shown. The Kaufman Foundation presented a check for $5,000 to support The Mining Journal's Cheer Club and The Salvation Army. This donation will be used to purchase toys for distribution on Thursday and Friday in Marquette County and next Saturday in Alger County. (Courtesy photo)

MARQUETTE — The Salvation Army’s Christmas Toy Shops in Marquette and Munising will look a little different this year.

To comply with public health guidelines and keep volunteers, staff and participants safe, the toy shops will be offered in a drive-through, curbside format this holiday season.

Traditionally, families in need who register for the toy shops would come into a location and pick out toys and stocking stuffers for their children. The toys are generally arranged by age group at different tables.

However, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, that’s just not feasible this year, Salvation Army Capt. Doug Winters said.

“While we usually want to encourage parents to select individual gifts for their children, we really can’t take the risk of potentially being a super-spreader event,” he said. “Getting the right toys and gifts to the right kids is still our priority.”

This year, parents were asked to give detailed wish lists for each of their children during the registration process. Those lists will be used as much as possible by Toy Shop volunteers to select proper gifts for each family.

“Many families had already requested that gifts be prepacked to limit exposure,” Winters said.

Registered participants are asked to bring their verification letter to the distribution sites as identification.

Participants are asked to wear masks unless they are medically unable, as well as remain in their vehicles during distribution. Salvation Army volunteers will prepack toys and gifts for contactless distribution and will wear masks, use hand sanitizer and maintain social distancing practices when placing gifts into participant vehicles.

The Salvation Army also announced Thursday a $5,000 donation from the Kaufman Foundation in support of the Christmas Toy Shops.

“We are so grateful to Peter and Audrey Kaufman and the (Kaufman) Foundation Board for their support of families in need at this time of year, and for all they do for our community,” Winters said at a check presentation.

The Mining Journal’s Cheer Club is one of just many initiatives that supports the Salvation Army’s Christmas Toy Shop. Walmart’s Angel Tree program and Toys for Tots of Marquette and Alger Counties also support the toy shops.

While this year’s number of participants and their needs are still being tabulated, organizers do expect an increase this year due to the substantial economic devastation amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In last year’s efforts, 367 families and 741 children received gifts from the Salvation Army’s Toy Shop and Adopt-a-Family programs. The Mining Journal’s Cheer Club contributed 1,719 items to the initiative in last year’s efforts.

The Cheer Club also supports St. Vincent de Paul. To donate through The Mining Journal’s Cheer Club, gifts can be dropped off at Journal office in downtown Marquette; Range Bank locations in Marquette, Harvey and Negaunee; Salvation Army locations in Ishpeming and Marquette; and Ace Hardware in Gwinn. For those who would like to donate at The Mining Journal’s office, a donation box will be in the vestibule of the office along West Washington Street in downtown Marquette. Staff will empty the box regularly so items can be collected by representatives from the Salvation Army of Marquette County and St. Vincent de Paul of Marquette and distributed to local families in need.

If you would like your photo taken with your Cheer Club donation, please ring the buzzer near the exterior door and a masked Journal staff member will be outside shortly to take your photo from a safe distance outdoors. Hours when photos are available are 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.