Children in Sidon received more than 200 toys Thursday in a toy and coat drive organized by three women in conjunction with Pepsi.
Laquita Pitchford planned the event with her mother, Tina Pitchford, and her grandmother, Sidon Mayor Johnnie Neal.
Laquita Pitchford said she had the idea for the drive last Christmas. She had just moved back to the Delta from Chicago and wanted to give back to the community.
Planning for this year’s drive, which was held at the Sidon Community Center, began about a month ago, she said.
Around 60 people, mostly children, arrived at the community center around 6 p.m. to receive gifts and coats. Pitchford organized the children by age to receive toys, letting the youngest go first. When it came time to give away coats, she was more choosy. “If you just got an envelope, get out of my line,” she instructed some of the older teenagers.
The envelopes in question held stipend funds of $5 to $10.
Pitchford often hosts the children of Sidon at her home, playing games, talking, teaching life skills or riding bikes when the weather permits. She said because she knows the children, she has a better idea of who would need a coat, so she distributed coats to those more in need and envelopes to others.
In total, 26 coats and 254 toys were distributed. The goods were provided by the Pitchford family, Rock Hill Mount Baptist Church in Sardis, the Meal Barrel in Metcalfe, Neal and Pepsi.
Tina Pitchford works for Pepsi. After she found out her daughter was planning a toy drive, she brought the idea of helping to associates at Pepsi, and they partnered on it.
Christopher Lark, who manages the Pepsi plant in Greenwood, said he got involved with the drive because he wanted to do something different.
“Pepsi donates and works as an in-between most of the time, but I’m from Arkansas, and so when I moved here, I wanted to do something different and actually help work with the toy drive,” he said, handing out a Barbie doll.
Members of the Mayor’s Help Council as well as Dorothy Ivory of Sidon’s Board of Aldermen helped distribute toys as well.
Laquita Pitchford said she was just following biblical principles in giving what she could. “Just being able to give back, we’re always trying to give. It’s slim to none here for opportunity, and I just want to show these children love,” she said.
- Contact Katherine Parker at 662-581-7239 or kparker@gwcommonwealth.com.
