41st Annual Scouting Toy & Gift Fair

December 2, 2017 Donations received 9:00 – Noon

Toy Fair Program Noon-12:30 PM

Drop Off Location Highline United Methodist Church

13015 1st Ave. S. Burien, WA 98168

What is Toy Fair? Toy Fair happens the first Saturday of every December. Troops from all over the

area donate their homemade Toys and Gifts to share with Social Service Agencies, who then distribute them to families in need in time for the holidays.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction Page 3

Some Agencies that Participated in Past Page 3

Toy Fair Committee Information Page 3

Appropriate Gift Ideas Page 3

Gift Suggestions Page 4 - 5

Gift Packaging Page 5

Websites with Ideas for Toys Page 6

Gift Registration Instructions Page 6

Ways Troops Can Participate Page 6

Toy Fair Day Schedule Page 6

Intent to Participate Instructions Page 6

Registration and Patch Order Page 7

2018 Patch Contest Form Page 8

INTRODUCTION Page !2

Toy Fair is a grand-scale service project that was started to assist social service agencies in South King County to support the needs of people in our local communities. The first Toy Fair was held in 1977. Each year social service agencies are invited to participate and select toys and gifts for distribution to recipients of all ages.

Over the years, multiple Girl Scout troops have donated quality gifts to warm the hearts of those in need during the holiday season.

In 2009, the program was expanded to Eastside and North King County area troops and had an increase in quantity of gifts to share with the agencies we serve.

The 2014 &2015 service project was made possible by the combined efforts of alumnae of Girl Scout troop 50870 and many other participating Scouts in Western Washington.

In the 2015 year, we expanded this opportunity to include Boy Scout Troops who wish to participate. The contributions every person makes to support this service are greatly appreciated. We look forward to your help in our efforts to expand the outreach of this project so we can touch the lives of as many families as possible.

Agencies that recently participated in Toy Fair

Auburn Head Start Des Moines Area Food Bank Highline Head Start Horizon House Kent Child Development Center Kent Head Start United Methodist Group Multi-Service Center North Seattle Family Resource Center Pregnancy Aid of Auburn

Pregnancy Aid of Kent Pregnancy Aid of South King County Providence Regina House Seafair Pirates Sibling House St. Vincent de Paul of St. Bernadette Parish Wellspring Family Services YWCA of South King County

TOY FAIR COMMITTEE CONTACTS Co-Committee Chair, Sue Fore: (206)248-3245 or (206)819-6017 cell ToyFairScouts@gmail.com Social Service Agency Coordinator, Theresa Witt, (206) 335-3083 just2witty@hotmail.com Volunteer Coordinator, Linda Poelzer ascoutsmom@comcast.net Questions - Linda Poelzer text or call (206)369-5798

Appropriate Gifts Gifts need to be new, not used, and preferably handmade by the youth in your troop. Gifts for all ages and genders are welcome. Think about what a child in need would enjoy receiving. Is what you are making something you would like to receive?

Younger participants should consider simple, but much needed items. Gift items need to meet age appropriate safety standards. For example: a toddler toy should have no sharp edges or small pieces that could be easily removed.

Please note: • Please, NO FOOD or CANDY items that are intended to be eaten! The food banks invited to Toy Fair

come to obtain Toys and Gifts for the families they serve. Due to Health Department regulations, we are not allowed to accept food items. Items such as homemade play dough or bean bags are acceptable as the contents are not intended to be eaten.

• Fragile items or Christmas decorations, although timely, are not appropriate Toy Fair gifts. Please avoid providing gifts with breakable items.

• Used clothing and toys are not appropriate gifts. Gift Suggestions: For babies: layettes, hooded towels, baby hats, baby blankets or quilts, bibs, teddy bears.

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! ! For School age kids: decorated back packs, pillows, games such as Tic Tac Toe or ball-in-a-cup, wooden cars, chalk boards, homemade crayons, marshmallow shooters playdoh, pencil boxes, stick ponies, stuffed animals, a simple magic trick with instructions, etc. (Don’t forget that school age boys need items too!)

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For older kids: hats, scarves, bracelets, necklace, blankets, pillows, things for their lockers, such as mirrors or bulletin boards, decorated or tie-dyed socks or t-shirts, hair feathers, decorated headband.

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Other ideas: Take an ordinary item like a t-shirt, backpack, chalk board or bulletin board and decorate it with puff paint to make it extraordinary.

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No sew pillows, cut fringe edges around all four corners of the fabric and tie the fringe together. Stuff the fabric with pillow stuffing and tie the final side together. Use the same idea for no-sew quilts without the stuffing.

Stick ponies – take lengths of PVC pipe and socks. Stuff socks with filler and hot glue or tie, or both onto the PVC pipe. Decorate the sock

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to look like a horse by using a felt marker, or sewing on extra pieces like ears and a mane. Add a string for reins.

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*Baby quilts – If your youth can’t make a quilt, maybe they could create a quilt square with their handprint, or a picture and a parent could make the quilt. If your troop is ambitious enough, you could make a full-size quilt for an older child. It is appropriate for a troop to work on one or two larger items as a group and still be eligible to have a patch.

Gift Packaging

Please consider packaging your gifts. For small things, enclose each individual gift in a Ziploc baggie or other secure clear wrapper. Please include your Troop Number on a small piece of paper inside the wrapper, if known, list the suggested age for the gift, use the suggested greetings below or create your own. DO NOT include youth names on the greetings. Fragile items need to be appropriately packaged so they will not break.

Happy Holidays!

From Troop #

Seasons Greetings!

From Troop #

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Websites with ideas for homemade toys: http://happyhooligans.ca/70-awesome-toys-make-kids/ http://www.buzzfeed.com/twopoodles/toys-you-can-make-yourself#.shb80ym0Ak http://dirtandboogers.com/50-handmade-toys-for-kids/ and, of course, Pinterest

Gift Registration Contributions must be brought to the Toy Fair site between 9 am and noon on December 2, 2017. (Please bring or send a copy of the registration form with your items.) Additional blank registration forms will also be available at the site. Please see schedule below.

Other Ways Troops Can Participate • Leaders should contact Sue Fore or Linda Poelzer if your troop is interested in helping at the

site. Contact information is listed at the bottom of page three. We need 10-12 older youth to help.

• Participate in the 2018 Patch Contest by using the Contest Entry Form on page 8.

• Pick a day before December 2 and host a drop off location in your service unit or area. Be sure paperwork is included with each item. Then, your troop or service unit representative can deliver the items to Toy Fair on December 2, 2017, that other troops might not be able to deliver. Items must be delivered to Toy Fair on December 2, between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon.

• Send us information on Social Service Agencies that could benefit from this project. Please contact the Social Service Agency Coordinator listed on page 3.

Toy Fair Day Schedule December 2, 2017

Highline United Methodist Church 13015 1st Ave. S.

Burien, WA 98168 9:00 – 12:00 Noon

8:00 – 9:00 a.m. – Set up. No Toys or Gifts will be accepted during this time.

9:00 – 12:00 noon – Registration and Gift delivery. Please be sure that all items brought have Registration paperwork including unit number and contact information in the box with the items. Troops are encouraged to stay if you are interested in learning more about the agencies we are helping or to view what other troops have made.

11:00 – 12:00 - Viewing time for agencies

12:00 – 12:10 p.m. – Short program – Meet the Social Service Agencies.

12:10 – 12:30 p.m. – Social Service Agencies pick up gifts for their communities.

12:30 – 1:30 p.m. – Clean up

Intent to Participate If you think you might participate, please send us an e-mail at ToyFairScouts@gmail.com so we can include you on our e-mail list for updates. Please tell us:

Troop/Unit # Contact Name and Phone Number and/or e-mail Estimated Number of youth participating

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Estimated Number of items you are donating if known

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2017 REGISTRATION and PATCH ORDER

PATCH ELIGIBILITY Each youth or leader who makes a Toy or Gift for TOY FAIR or Collects or distributes items at the display site.

PATCH DESIGN CONTEST DESIGN next year’s Patch! We will accept entries through October 1, 2018. The patch design winner receives a free patch, a certificate and $10 from the Toy Fair Committee.

ORDERING AND RECEIVING PATCHES Bring this form with your patch orders on Toy Fair Day. Patches will be available on Toy Fair Day. Please pay by cash or check. For questions about patches, please call Sue Fore at (206) 248-3245. ✂---------------✂---------------✂---------------✂----------------✂-----------------✂

Complete the information below: TROOP/UNIT NUMBER: Service Unit/District Name: ____________________________________________________________

No. Youth: __________ No. Adults: __________ School: ____________________________________________

Mail To: ____________________________________________________________ Phone: ___________________

Address: ______________________________________________________________________________________

City: Zip Code:

Troop Contact E-mail: Item

Quantity Description of Toy or Gift:

2017 PATCHES will be available at the Event when you drop off your Items.

NUMBER OF PATCHES ORDERED: ________ x $1.50 EACH = $ ____________

TOTAL Paid $ ____________

MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO “GSWW TOY FAIR” FOR FULL AMOUNT.

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2018 Patch Design Entry Form Please submit no later than October 1, 2018.

Leaders: Please copy this form for your troop. Please be sure this form is completed and all requested information is included on the patch before submitting the design to the Toy Fair committee.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Please remind your Scouts that Christmas themes and Trademark designs (including Scout emblems) cannot be used and will disqualify the entry. The design entry is subject to change and may be redrawn to meet graphic requirements of the patch company. The designs should be an original idea and should NOT resemble previous year patches. An idea that was submitted previously, but not chosen can be redrawn and resubmitted.

All entries may be mailed in one envelope. Please mail entries to: Theresa Witt Toy Fair Patch Contest 32713 19th PL S. #Q104 Federal Way, WA 98003

42nd Annual South King County Toy Fair Patch Contest

The patch design may be any number of colors and must include the following information: 1. Toy Fair 2. 2018

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Scout’s Name:

Leader’s Name:

Troop/Unit #: Phone#:

Service Unit/District Name:

Leader e-mail: