Some 40 to 50 tots will receive toys for Christmas this season because of the efforts of the Cactus Woodworkers.
Al Duchene, a member of the group, said the woodworkers are constructing toy cars.
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"They're all out of wood," Duchene said. "They're brightly painted and some have natural wood on them.
"We have to be careful; wood toys are made for the young ones, 1 or 2 or 3 years old. After that, they want computers. So we have to be careful that stuff doesn't come off that they can swallow, and the paint has to be safe so they can chew on them."
The cars will be presented to members of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves for their Toys for Tots program at an upcoming dinner.
Duchene said the club has its meetings at the homes of the woodworkers.
"What we do is talk about woodworking and if they have problems building anything, or we have a show-and-tell type thing on how to cut miter joints or different things in woodworking," he said. They exchange ideas and show novice woodworkers how to do various things, share tools and occasionally cut wood for one another.
"We just have fun and kibitz and talk about wood," he said. "Last March, five of us went to Ontario, Calif., to the woodworkers' show."
The members' toy donation, he said, is "just to help out. We get involved in the community." Last year, he noted, they donated 35 to 40 wooden trucks, cars, Jeeps and biplanes to Toys for Tots.
The group currently has eight or nine active members, Duchene said, and is looking for more. To inquire about joining, call Dave Smith at 658-6845 or Duchene at 658-5819.
This year's Toys for Tots campaign kicked off Nov. 1 and extends through Dec. 21. Drop-off locations are in all CVS and Walgreens drugstores in the valley, and more locations will be added as the season goes on.
Toys must be unwrapped and in unopened, original packages. Most frequently needed are toys for kids up to 2 years old and boys and girls 15 to 17 years old. For the younger group, appropriate toys include those that develop an infant's motor skills; physical-development toys; Sesame Street, Disney, Clifford, Barney and Blues Clues toys; hardcover books; and lullaby or sing-along CDs and tapes.
For the older group, appropriate toys include portable CD players, age-appropriate movies and CD's, makeup kits, personal-hygiene sets, hair dryers, curling irons, family games, cameras and age-appropriate books.
Toys for boys and girls ages 3-12 would include science-experiment kits, microscopes, bikes, scooters, skateboards, family games, models, Legos, sporting equipment, remote-control cars, coloring books with crayons, art sets and books.
