Durham tow company organizes toy drive for Hurricane Helene victims in western North Carolina

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- For Giving Tuesday, a North Carolina man is calling on the community to donate toys to children in western North Carolina.

"Let's reach in, reach deep and make Christmas for these kids a special Christmas to remember, so they can forget about what happened in the storm," said Lee Gardner, owner of Lee's 24 Hour Towing. "They still have needs and the needs are changing as time goes forward."

With Christmas just three weeks away, Gardener organized a toy drive for families who lost everything when Hurricane Helene destroyed parts of the mountains. He was also behind an effort that sent 25 tractor trailer loads of food, water and clothes to the region in October.

"For me, it's not acceptable to have a kid that wakes up Christmas morning and doesn't have the joy my kids have had," he said.

Becky Phipps arrived with an SUV full of toys to donate to the effort.

"We brought a carload of toys for the Bethesda Prime Timers. They all decided this year instead of buying gifts for each other they wanted to donate toys to kids in the mountains," said Phipps.

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There's plenty of goodness and kindness in the form of toys that have filled the truck so far. Phipps hopes it will inspire others this Giving Tuesday.

"I would pray that if something happened to us here in Durham, North Carolina, that people across North Carolina would help as well. I feel certain that they would," she said.

The plan is to collect 30,000 toys, with hopes of giving each child two toys a piece, plus coloring books and crayons. There is a need for older children. Gardner suggests bookbags, hoodies and water bottles. He plans to drop the toys off December 19.

"Thank you for all the giving they have already done," said Gardner.