Plum High School toy drive going drive-thru, no students this year

Plum High School’s sixth annual Stuff-a-Bus toy drive will be in a different format this year due to the covid-19 pandemic.

The event is still set for 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday in the high school parking lot at 900 Elicker Road.

However, there will be no hot chocolate and treats, no face painting — and no students.

Instead, staffers volunteering their time will collect the unwrapped gifts for the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots campaign.

“They love to be involved, but this year we have to pick safety over everything else,” said Shari Klein, high school administrative assistant and lead sponsor. “Let’s hope it’s just this year and we can go back to normal.”

Normal would mean Plum’s Air Force JROTC cadets and other student groups would greet donors as they got out of their vehicles with new unwrapped gifts.

This year’s participants are asked to stay in their vehicles and open their trunk or backseat so volunteers, wearing masks and gloves, can do a contactless collection.

“We just want to keep it as safe as possible with social distancing,” Klein said. “This is a big deal here. We have teachers and everyone willing to help out. We’re appreciative of whatever we get.”

The event netted about 650 toys last year and close to 900 in 2018. This year’s goal is 1,000 toys.

People who want to give prior to the event can do so at any of the collection boxes at district schools.

Klein said the administration has been very supportive of the event, and allowed a dress-down day for staffers who brought in toys.

School board President Mike Devine said district residents are very giving, and hopes covid and the new format will not discourage people from coming out.

“The whole point of it was to collect for underprivileged families,” Devine said. “I hope people are still in the same spirit given the circumstances.”

More information about the event is available at pbsd.net.