Spokane Valley students holding Toys For Tots drive Saturday

Students from Central Valley High School and University High School are helping put on a daylong Toys For Tots drive on Saturday at the Albertsons on Highway 27.

It’s the third year in a row that Albertsons, 13606 E. 32nd Ave., has hosted this event in memory of Josie Freier and McKenzie Mott, two University High School students who were killed in a car crash in 2013.

“The first year was a little shaky,” said Traci Walker, the store’s customer service manager, “but last year was very successful.”

The drive collected enough toys to fill an entire school bus at the end of the day.

“Every seat, every spot in the aisle, every corner was full of toys,” Walker said.

The event runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., after which volunteers pile the donated toys into a school bus and haul them to the Toys For Tots warehouse.

Walker said the Spokane Valley Fire Department will be there with informational booths, as will the Marines who sponsor Toys For Tots.

“Josie’s dad is a Marine and a firefighter,” said Walker, whose daughter played soccer with Mott. “And Josie was really passionate about Toys For Tots.”

Neighbors are invited to bring new, unwrapped toys, or they can purchase toys from below the Christmas tree at Albertsons.

“We already have bins and boxes here for collection,” Walker said.

She’s not certain how many toys were collected last year.

“But it’s a big deal. We hope to get lots of people,” Walker said.