Most anyone who has spent much time around Caleb Edwards, one of the principles at Capital Invoice, has heard him talk about his involvement in the local chapter of the Jaycees, and one of the reasons for that is the pride Caleb takes in being able to give back to the community through this civic club.
Especially at the holidays, the Jaycees of Athens are actively supporting those in the community who are struggling, and one of the ways the Jaycees do this is by partnering with the United States Marine Corps Reserve to help the local Toys for Tots Christmas toy drive.
“I’ve been helping the Jaycees with the Toys for Tots for a number of years now, and I can’t tell you how much it means to me to be involved in this,” Caleb said. “One of the things I do is go around to our drop locations and pick up toys that have been donated, and it really is heartwarming to me to see the generosity people have when I find a Toys for Tots box full of donated toys.
“I know every one of those toys is going to find its way to a kid who might not otherwise have a lot of gifts under the tree, and it’s very moving to be able to play a role in making that happen.”
Last year alone, the Athens area Toys for Tots campaign provided Christmas gifts to almost 7,500 kids in Clarke, Oconee, Greene, Madison, and Jackson counties.
Nationally, Toys for Tots is a program of the USMC Reserve, but in the Athens community the Jaycees lend support to help the Marine Reserves with the local effort.
The Jaycees (United States Junior Chamber) is a training and civic organization for people 18 to 40 years old.
If you are interested in donating to Toys for Tots this year, you can visit toysfortots.org, or if you’d like to drop off a toy at one of the local drop locations you can also do that. Toys for Tots asks that donated toys be unwrapped, new toys.
For more information on Toys for Tots click here.
Athens Area Drop Locations
America's Thrift Store
Omni East
Bank South
Burton & Burton
Toys R Us
Athens First bank branches
Alps UPS
Chicken Salad Chick
Jittery's Joes Alps
Sam's Club
Stein Mart
Benson Hospitality
Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn Express
Beef 'O' Brady's
Morningside
Publix East Side
Cine
Georgia Center for Sight
Taqueria Tsunami
Anytime Fitness
Big Lots
Brett’s Casual American restaurant
Classic City Orthodontics
Oconee State Bank branches
StoreSmart Watkinsville
Georgia Square Mall
USMC Recruiting Office
Chandlee Jewelers
Ellis Pain Center
Athens Diagnostic Center
ACC Public Library
Thrive Assisted Living
Dollar General-Winterville
Jennings Mill Country Club
La Fiesta
Walmart East Side
Bell's Grocery
Chase Street Self Storage
Subway Prince Ave.
Athens Personal Fitness
Landmark Properties
Athens Pulmonary
Dollar General Prince Ave.
State Farm Paul Lowell
CVS Butlers Crossing (Oconee)
Premier Dance Studio
Tires Plus
University Tire
Jittery Joe's Watkinsville
Steve Duncan StateFarm
Watkinsville Police Dept.
Watkinsville Post Office
Publix Watkinsville
Walmart Westside
Five Points Bottle Shop
Epps Bride UPS
Taqueria Tsunami
University 16 Cinema
Athens Printing Shop
State Farm Mike D.
Academy Sports and Outdoors
Athens Ford
Spring Hill
Athena Hospice
Blue Laser Group
Hilton Garden Inn
Plum Creek
Fred’s
Winterville City Hall
Athens Chevrolet
Sign Bros
Athens Regional Medical Center
Landmark Hospital
VFW
Walgreen's Hawthorne
Above Barre
Transfit
Omni West
Smoothie King
Edward Jones Gaines School Road
Publix Westside
St. Mary's Daniells Bridge
St. Mary's Homecare
St. Mary's Hospital
5 Below
Lifeway
Fox's Pizza
Studio M
Tate Student Center
Terry College
UGA Alumni
UGA Animal and Dairy Science
UGA College of Education, Staff Representative Group
UGA Department of Education
UGA Enterprise Information Technology Services
UGA Office of College Advancement
UGA Office of Faculty Affairs
UGA Office of the Registrar
UGA University Health Center
UGA Veterans Associatio