A round of applause for the good people of Sammamish, who have again rallied behind the cause of Toys for Tots, an annual drive to help make Christmas a little more merry for needy families.

Over the past few weeks the Sammamish Police Department office at Sammamish City Hall has looked more like an FAO Schwarz store, as residents and businesses dropped in bags of toys, bikes and stuffed animals – all donated in the spirit of Christmas and generosity.

On Monday, Sammamish officers transported the toys to the Toys for Tots warehouse, ahead of their delivery to grateful families next week.

Sammamish Police Detective Amy Jarboe, who has been involved with the city’s Toys for Toys program since it began four years ago, praised the generosity of Sammamish families, particularly in these times when everyone is doing it a little tough.

City of Sammamish employees also pitched in cash, to buy bikes. In all, five bikes were purchased and another five donated.

“We had support from some businesses, like Fred Meyer, who gave us a good deal on buying the bikes, but most of this is from individual families, which is amazing,” Jarboe said.

Jarboe had a great story for The Reporter this year, about a young local boy.

“He came in with his mom, to drop in a couple of bags of toys,” she said. “When he left, his mom came back in and told us that it was his birthday this month, but this year he wanted to donate toys, instead of having a birthday party and getting toys for himself.”

It is great to see concern for others running so deep in young people in the area.

In October, four girls from the Issaquah Highlands held a joint 13th birthday celebration at Blakely Hall. Instead of asking for gifts, they requested well-wishers donate to the Issaquah Food Bank.

The Reporter joins the community is congratulating cool people like these, and everyone who has made a generous contribution to those in need this year.