Knights and Lady Knights Collect Toys and Needed Items for Children

Staff Writer

Photo by Leisha Johnson

Vera Lloyd Presbyterian Home for Children

   University of Arkansas-Monticello Knights and the Lady Knights will be collecting items to donate for the Children of the Vera Lloyd Presbyterian Home for Children.

   The Knights and Lady Knights will gather toys and other such donations nearer to Christmas time. The donations they are gathering now are mostly things the kids need rather than want.

   “We are mostly looking for hygiene products,” Leigh Rutledge, president of the Lady Knights, said. "Things like toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant and shampoo.”

   Rutledge said donation boxes are located in the Memorial Classroom Building, Babin Business Center and the Science Center. Items that cannot be donated include razor blades, knives, anything containing alcohol or perishable items.

   The donations will be sent to the children at Annie B. Wells Campus, the Vera Lloyd Presbyterian Home & Family Services building located at 745 Old Warren Road.

   The Home houses up to 16 boys and 16 girls.

   Brenda Griffin, the receptionist for the Presbyterian home, said socks and underwear are always in need.

   "The Alexander Division of Youth Service, located in Little Rock, sends us a lot of boys and girls that have nothing,” Griffin said.

   Sarah Davis, the custodian for the Presbyterian Home and the one who gathers donations and puts packets together for the kids, said “shoes are what we are really low on right now.”

   According to Davis, there are plenty of size 6, 7 and 8 size shoes, but the bigger sizes of 9 and 10 are needed. They also need blue jeans. Davis suggested people donate jean sizes 16-24 and shirt sizes 16-18 are also needed. They have many smaller-sized jeans, but when plus-sized girls come to the donation closet, they can never really find their size.

   Kelly Burnette, the supervisor over a Division of Youth Service home, said how towels, washcloths and twin bed sheets are always needed for the homes.

   “Other things that can be donated are makeup and bath and body stuff for the girls. The girls also really love jewelry, even if it’s the sets of jewelry for a dollar at Dollar Tree,” Burnette said. “The boys usually like fishing stuff for when we take them fishing. These are the things we see the most on the girls and boys’ Christmas wish lists,” 

   The Knights and Lady Knights suggest that donators provide any items they feel would be beneficial to the children.

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