MARQUETTE — Another successful year of The Mining Journal’s Cheer Club is officially in the books.

The annual toy drive collects new and unwrapped gifts to be donated to local children and families in need during the holiday season. Cheer Club kicked off on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, and ran through Christmas Eve.

Gifts collected through the Cheer Club were distributed through The Salvation Army of Marquette County and St. Vincent de Paul of Marquette.

Approximately 3,800 gifts were distributed through The Salvation Army’s Christmas Toy Shop program this year, supporting 312 families and 749 children, up 15 percent from last year’s numbers. Cheer Club collected approximately 1,067 toys and $2,220 in monetary donations through The Salvation Army.

That number is down from 1,719 items collected through the Cheer Club last year, likely as a result of adjusting to COVID-19 safety protocols.

Instead of having donors bring items directly into the Journal office, a drop box was placed in the vestibule of the building to allow for contactless donations, with a masked Journal employee taking the donor’s picture if requested.

Drop-off locations were also available at several Marquette County businesses and organizations, including St. Vincent de Paul in Marquette; The Salvation Army in Marquette and Ishpeming; Range Bank in Marquette, Harvey and Negaunee; and Ace Hardware in Gwinn.

Salvation Army Capt. Doug Winters said The Mining Journal’s Cheer Club is one of two major players in its Christmas Toy Shop program each year, which traditionally allows registered families in need to select gifts for their children.

“The majority of the toys come to us through The Mining Journal’s Cheer Club and Toys for Tots,” he said. “These programs are based on individuals coming forward with donations to make a difference in someone else’s family.

“This (Toy Shop) program is completely based on the generosity of the community.”

The program was changed to a curbside pickup event at the Westwood Mall this year, so rather than parents being able to hand-pick gifts, Salvation Army volunteers preselected items based on wish lists submitted during the registration process.

Along with the usual selection of toys, each family also received games and books for their children during the distribution event.

The items donated through Cheer Club the most this year were hats, gloves, socks and other winter clothing items for a total of 320 donations. Some 128 stocking stuffers were also donated.

Following that were 109 teddy bears from Northern Michigan University’s drive-by teddy bear toss, 67 games, 43 new clothing items and 35 books.

Seven bicycles were also donated as part of a large donation through Cheer Club from Marthaler Automotive of Marquette.

“I want to be clear that it’s the community that makes this happen,” Winters said. “It’s the organization from the Cheer Club that makes this happen. It’s the volunteers that we have to make this happen. We’re excited to be that focal point where people trust us to make sure toys get into the hands of the most needy kids in our community.

“We’re thrilled with the generosity of the community. The number of toys we received through Cheer Club were outstanding. So many good (toys) went to kids who really needed them this Christmas.”

The Mining Journal thanks everyone who donated through Cheer Club this holiday season and is looking forward to a normal program again next Christmas.