The Phelon family has always been passionate about supporting children.
The Toy for Joy Christmas campaign has given them an avenue to reach more young people than ever before, while keeping alive the spirit and memory of a woman who helped provide the foundation for their family.
“My dad (Jack) started donating to Toy for Joy in 2020. He was an avid reader of The Republican, and saw in the newspaper the drive was in danger of not reaching its goal,” says Laura Phelon, whose father and family recently donated a generous $1,200 to the 2024 campaign.
With the Dec. 24 deadline for the 2024 campaign fast approaching, the drive’s $150,000 goal again needs the urgent support of individuals, businesses and organizations. No donation is too big or too small, and every dollar will go toward books and toys for deserving children in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties.
Laura explains the Westfield family’s tradition, she says, because her father is so modest and, she says, “camera shy.” But theirs is a story worth telling.
“In 2020, dad asked myself and my (four) siblings, who are all adults, if, instead of buying gifts for us, he would donate the money to Toy for Joy. It was a way of remembering his sister, and obviously, all five of us were fine with that,” Laura Phelon said.
They continue doing it to honor Jack’s sister, Mary Phelon, who passed away at 68 in 2018. Mary had no children of her own, but loved Christmas and was generous to the large family during the holiday season.
“She was the most selfless person we knew. She was also very involved with the community, with the Hampden County 4-H Fair, Special Olympics and the Westfield Fair,” Laura Phelon said. “And my dad, he’s a very involved father who also has six grandchildren. That’s perhaps part of why he also wants to help these (Toy for Joy) children,” Laura continued.
“He still buys presents for his grandchildren, but we’re all happy for the contribution to Toy for Joy.”
Toy for Joy couponThe Republican, file
Now in its 102nd year as one of the region’s longest unbroken traditions, Toy for Joy is sponsored by the Salvation Army. The organization’s citadels in Springfield, Holyoke and Greenfield are in the process of distributing toys, games and books to deserving children who might otherwise be left out of the joy of receiving gifts at Christmas.
Salvation Army officials estimate that about 1,600 families and between 3,500 and 4,000 children from the Springfield location alone will benefit from a drive that depends upon the generosity of individuals, companies and agencies throughout the region.
Help has come from many sources. Link to Libraries, a Hampden-based nonprofit, delivered 1,000 books to the Toy for Joy campaign.
Link to Libraries especially promotes reading and literacy for children who may not otherwise have easy access to the joy of reading and learning. Literacy growth has been an essential component of the Toy for Joy campaign for many, many years.
Toy for Joy is promoted and advertised by The Republican, Reminder Publishing, MassLive and El Pueblo Latino. All contributions will be recognized and published in The Republican and Reminder Publications, and online by MassLive.com.
The campaign is supported by volunteers from individuals and groups. Among them are Eversource, the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office, and ROVI Homes of Western Mass., a technologically advanced real estate agency based in Agawam.
A coupon published with Toy for Joy stories may be used to submit a contribution by mail to The Republican, 1860 Main St., Springfield, MA 01103. Donations that are mailed this week and received after the Dec. 24 deadline will be accepted.
Donors can also make online contributions at https://give.salvationarmy.org/give/212002/#!/donation/checkout.
Time in the campaign is running short — but it’s not too late to support the children and families of the Pioneer Valley who are counting on it.
“My dad wanted to keep his sister’s memory alive, and he also wanted to give back to kids,” Laura Phelon said. “That’s what Toy for Joy is all about.”
