COLUMN: Ellis County Employee Toy Drive underway

Submitted photo.

Ellis County Sheriff Johnny Brown.

It’s about time for the kickoff of the seventh annual Ellis County Employee Toy Drive and I’d like to ask that you please join your Sheriff’s Office, our other county offices and departments, and our partners, the Waxahachie Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety, as we work toward making the holiday season a bit brighter for the kids in our local children’s homes.

We’ve already launched our annual in-house fundraising – the “No Shave November & December” effort – with all proceeds benefiting the Toy Drive. For a $25 donation, any deputy or jailer is allowed to wear a neatly trimmed goatee during these two months.

We have one goal for the Toy Drive and that’s to ensure that all of the children, whether they’re at the Texas Baptist Home for Children or the Presbyterian Children’s Home, have at least one present under the Christmas tree. We’ve been blessed during previous years to meet and even exceed that goal. With the community’s continued support, we’ll make sure we do so again this year.

We’ll be getting donation boxes set up and as soon as we have those locations set, I’ll let you know. As always, we welcome and appreciate your participation by dropping off presents and or gift cards. You’ll have until Monday, Nov. 30, to drop your items by. In the meantime, if you’d like more information about the Toy Drive and find out how you can help with this county-wide effort, feel free to contact Deputy Hunter Barnes at 972-825-4949 or hunter.barnes@co.ellis.tx.us.

Please keep our military and service personnel in your thoughts and prayers as we remember that the rights and freedoms we enjoy begin with their service and safekeeping of our great nation. May you have a Blessed Week.

Johnny Brown has served as Sheriff of Ellis County since Jan. 1, 2009, and is a graduate of the National Sheriff’s Institute. He has been in law enforcement for more than 20 years and holds a Master’s Peace Officer’s Certificate with the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education.