Peachtree Barbara Hudson was promoted to head elf after helping her father and his wife, John and Susie Evans, coordinate Cherokee County Toys for Tots for 10 years. Both Santa and the county are lucky to have her.
Hudson is fiercely dedicated to the massive job of ordering, organizing, bagging and distributing toys for more than 1,200 children in Cherokee County. That number includes 999 children registered in the Toys for Tots program and another 201 children served through their collaboration with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cherokee County.
It’s a year-long endeavor, ending with a final push two weeks before Christmas. Hudson and her cheerful team of volunteers take over the old Emerson building across the street from Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital, filling the vacuous space with giant bins of toys, all organized by gender and age.
There are shopping carts and clipboards, a registration table and a line of local high school heroes at the ready to take the toys from bins to the arms of eager parents waiting in a stretching line of cars outside the building.
“We used to have the parents come in and shop,” Hudson said, but COVID changed their reindeer games. “It worked so well last year to use our volunteers to fill the orders, and then transport the gifts to each car, that we kept that system in place for this year.”
‘My favorite part’
Hudson is an energetic woman, highly organized and hyper-focused. She credits the Evanses with the efficiency of the program. “They made it into a well-oiled machine,” she said.
Hudson walks though the toy distribution center like Willie Wonka, checking on a toy bin here, looking over a form brought to her by a volunteer there. In the bustling, happy center, there is no action or detail beneath her notice.
Way at the back of the space, she stops in front of an area filled with still more volunteers filling bags with shiny new books.
“This is my favorite part,” Hudson said. “I love the books the most.”
Her operation is funded by multiple streams of charity, including local business contributions and raffles held throughout the season. “Each toy is brand new. They are all purchased through donated funds,” she added.
Veterans help
One such raffle, sponsored by Wayne’s Feed Store in Murphy, raised $4,000. This particular raffle was special, as the proceeds were split between Toys for Tots and Warriors Veteran Outreach.
Dan Miller and Gary Wilson of the WVO were on hand at the raffle, excited to be helping other veterans.
“Our outreach serves veterans, widows and children,” Wilson said. Their share of the Wayne’s Feed Store raffle will go to assist veterans and their families for any need they may have over the holidays, including gifts for the children.
Also on hand at the raffle were John Evans and Barbara Hudson’s husband, Rodney, who laughed while saying, “I just do what I’m told.”
Evans is proud of the Toys for Tots movement, which he helped generate into the far-reaching success it enjoys in Cherokee County.
“This means so much to the children,” he said. “There is a 23-year history of this program in the county.”
The owners of Wayne’s Feed Store – Scott Holland, along with his father, Wayne – enjoy participating in the raffle.
“We love the kids and the vets,” Scott says, adding that both populations, “are very dear to us.”
Distribution center
Back at the Toys for Tots distribution center, Hudson echoes Holland’s sentiments.
“Our mission,” she begins, but then stops herself because she is holding back tears, “is to give hope to children.”
Hudson looks over the busy warehouse, watching her band of merry volunteers walk briskly through the aisles with carts, grabbing bags and referencing their clipboards.
“We want the children to know that somebody cares about them,” she said.
Judging from the thousands of hours served by dedicated volunteers, numerous community raffles and donations, and mountains of bagged toys, Hudson – and 1,200 children – will get their Christmas wishes this year.