Toy Lift

Somewhere in Albemarle county, at an undisclosed industrial location, hundreds of cars begin to arrive. From them, men, women and children of all ages, races, and ethnicities emerge. They are clothed warmly against the biting December chill, many wearing several layers in preparation for the work to be done. They shuffle into a warehouse, indistinguishable from several others surrounding it.

The location changes annually with buildings being chosen because they are unremarkable to their surroundings. This is done intentionally to prevent theft. After walking through oversized steel doors, volunteers for this year’s Toy Lift are greeted with a sight to warm their hearts. Rivaling Santa’s workshop, the space is affectionately known to the community as Toy Land.

Rows of bicycles sit assembled waiting for their riders. Stuffed animals, action figures, puzzles, toys and games fill the tables. The toys had been collected by volunteers the day before at Charlottesville Fashion Square Mall and the Downtown Mall, as well as Pantops, Crozet, and Fluvanna locations.

One group of volunteers walks up and down the rows, each with a shopping cart and the wish list of a child. Children themselves are also often volunteers. “It is fun…making friends and helping other people,” said Amber, who is 13.

“It’s like a giant scavenger hunt, finding the right toy for the right kid,” said sixteen-year-old Amy.

The wish lists, collected from local schools, cater to children who otherwise might not receive anything for the holidays. The volunteers search through the piles of donated toys and games, picking out the perfect presents for each child. Once a wish list is completed, the volunteer brings the brimming cart to another area in the warehouse where another group helps sort the gifts by location of the recipients, to expedite delivery.

In December 1988, the Toy Lift was created when Tom Powell perched himself 80 feet in the air in a bucket truck at the corner of Hydraulic Rd and Route 29 and refused to move until he had collected 1,000 toys to give to the area’s children. Since then, it has grown to be a huge community-wide event with the bucket truck being a main fixture.

Returning every year to drop-off locations, the event now offers food and activities to show appreciation to donors and their children. This year, the Fashion Square Mall location featured a huge bouncy castle, courtesy of Sir Bounce Alot Amusement.

Other participants this year included The Minuteman Motorcycle Club, area Charlottesville Car Dealers, Krecek Kakes, SNL Financial, Shenandoah Joe, Walmart, Burtons Grill, Blue Ridge Cyclery, and numerous others. Though volunteers can come from anywhere, former recipients often go on to grow up and become volunteers themselves.

For those volunteering in the warehouse, in the back of the huge space is the Toy Land breakroom. Tables are lined with food and drinks that have been donated to feed the hard working volunteers. On one plate of goodies there is a note. It says, “Thank you so much for your hard work. From a former Toy Lift recipient.”