By Peter Elacqua
Staff Writer
HOWELL – Organizers of the Howell Holiday Giveaway are seeking donations and volunteers to help sort and distribute gifts to children.
For donations, residents are asked to purchase specific gifts for children of a particular age.
Gifts for infants to age 5 could include learning tools, toys, books, large dolls, large trucks and cars, trains and play phones.
Gifts for children age 6 to 10 could include handbags, dolls, books, and arts and crafts.
Gifts for girls ages 11 to 13 include the items for ages 6 to 10, with the exception of dolls, plus nail polish kits, gift certificates from Walmart, Target, Howell Lanes, Mandee’s, Fashion Bug, Kohl’s, Applebees or Swing Time on Route 9, and movie tickets (Freehold Township and Brick Township theaters)
Gifts for girls ages 14 to 17 include all of the items above, plus clothing accessories (scarves, wallets), jewelry, and hair care kits and products.
Gifts for boys ages 6 to 10 include board games, basketballs, footballs, baseball mitts, baseballs, baseball bats, skateboards and helmets, a fishing reel with a pole, gift certificates for EB Games or Gamestop, handheld games that plug into a television, CD players, remote control cars, books, gift certificates in any increment of $25 at Walmart, Target, Howell Lanes and Swing Time on Route 9.
Gifts for boys ages 11 to 17 include all of the items for boys ages 6 to 10, plus movie tickets (Freehold Township and Brick Township theaters), watches and wallets.
Monetary donations that organizers will use to purchase gifts will also be accepted and may be made payable to the Howell Chamber of Commerce Holiday Account and mailed to the Howell Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 196, Howell, NJ 07731.
Drop-off locations for gifts are as follows:
- Acme, 3241 Route 9 North, Freehold Township
- Affiliated Foot and Ankle Center, 4645 Route 9 North, Howell
- Corsi’s Pizza, 153 Newtons Corner Road, Howell
- Chick-fil-a, 4881 Route 9 South, Howell
- Howell municipal building, 4567 Route 9 North, Howell
- Twin Pond Farm Garden Center, 1459-1473 Route 9 North, Howell
- Manasquan Savings Bank, 167 Newtons Corner Road, Howell
- Young’s Appliance, 4658 Route 9 South, Howell
Used items are needed as long as they are usable and wearable clean clothes for men, women and children. This includes clean accessories, handbags, shoes, belts, scarves, ties, hats and jackets. Household items needed including bedding, curtains, towels, baby items such as games and toys (must be in a box).
Volunteers are needed at 10 a.m. Dec. 13 and at 10 a.m. Dec. 14 at the Howell Community Enrichment Center at Southard School, 115 Kent Road, to help sort items.
Gifts will be given away on Dec. 15 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Dec. 16 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Southard School. Volunteers are asked to help with cleanup from noon to 2 p.m. Dec. 16.
This program is for Howell residents only and all participants must show proof of residency. For more information call Anna Ornstein at 732-961-0370 or visit http://howellholidaygiveaway.com/