(Photo provided by Cliff Hecker) Volunteers sort toys at the Toys for Tots distribution center in Mineral Wells on Dec. 20.

PARKERSBURG — The Salvation Army in Parkersburg concluded its annual Red Kettle program on Christmas Eve.

“We’re at about $85,000 and the goal was $110,000 so we’re nowhere close,” said Lt. Anthony Rowe. “It’s a little bit less than where we’ve been in the past.”

Rowe said last year they were only about $3,000 off of their goal of $100,000. This year donations were roughly $25,000 from the goal mark as the deadline approached.

Rowe said sometimes they’ll receive large donations on the last day. He said not hitting the goal is largely due to the winter weather such as the most recent snowstorm the weekend of Dec. 13.

“There were about two-and-a-half days where we didn’t have red kettles out in the community,” he said. “Even just a few days can affect the donations a lot, especially when there’s storms on a Saturday.”

(Photo provided by Cliff Hecker) Over 59,000 toys in boxes are seen at the Toys for Tots distribution center at Mineral Wells over the weekend.

Weekends are usually the busiest time with different organizations and volunteers available on Saturday and Sunday. Rowe said there’s usually more shoppers out on the weekends as well, especially during the holiday season.

“The kettles we have counted did well, and the money stays right here in the community,” said Rowe. “Donations are vital for us.”

He said all of the donations go toward services and programs the Salvation Army provides year-round. The Red Kettle program ran from Nov. 12 to Dec. 24. He said they’re looking into expanding that timeframe to allow for more opportunities for people to volunteer and donate.

The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree wrapped up Dec. 8 and toys were distributed Dec. 17. Rowe said all 450 kids in the program were adopted and received a wide array of gifts.

“The community really showed up, and people adopted every single kid,” he said. “Someone donated $1,000 for the last few kids right before the program ended.”

Rowe said he wanted to thank the community for their endless support.

“If it wasn’t for the community, we wouldn’t be here,” he said.

These programs also concluded at the Salvation Army in Marietta but officials did not respond by print deadline.

The Toys for Tots program in the Mid-Ohio Valley wrapped up with a little over 59,000 toys donated and about 10,000 children who received gifts for Christmas, according to coordinator Cliff Hecker.

“Everything is made possible by donations and volunteers,” he said. “Without our volunteers, this wouldn’t work.”

The weekend before Christmas, there were about 40 volunteers helping distribute toys.

Hecker has been coordinator for 31 years with the Toys for Tots program that covers Wood, Wirt, Pleasants, Jackson and Washington counties.

The national program starts with collections accepted as early as October and lasting until the days before Christmas. Hecker said locally, they usually start at the end of October or the beginning of November. He said they conclude the program and start distributing the weekend prior to Christmas.

“My goal every year is to get around 10,000 kids,” he said. “It’s great knowing there’s a kid somewhere waking up Christmas morning with new toys.”

Hecker said within the past five years, they’ve nearly doubled in size in terms of the amount of volunteers, children and toys.

Toys for Tots is a not-for-profit public charity created by the U.S. Marine Corps to provide new, unwrapped toys for children.