By Greg Ellison

(Oct. 21, 2021) Looking to replicate strong community support provided last fall, the Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines-Ocean City is holding combined toy and coat drives with weekly collections starting Oct. 28 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot of the Ocean Pines Community Center.

Marketing Chairman Dave Landis said Kiwanis-emblazoned vehicles would also be onsite during the same hours the following three Thursdays (Nov. 4, 11 and 18) and on Tuesday Nov. 23.

“It’s another year and another challenge, but the community is the key to it,” he said.

While acknowledging Kiwanis members invest sweat equity to promote the charitable undertaking, Landis said all efforts would be for naught without an outpouring of donations from the community.

“I would like to thank the public in advance because it’s unbelievable how the people in this area, not just Ocean Pines, come out and support us,” he said.

Both drives are intended to back the efforts of a number of area nonprofits that are focused on yuletide and cold weather needs.

Unwrapped gifts will be delivered to Worcester GOLD (Giving Other Lives Dignity) to aid its annual toy campaign, while winter wear donations will be split between the Joseph House Crisis Center, Little Sisters of Jesus, and St. Mary’s Evangelical and St. Peter’s Lutheran churches.

Landis said the group’s coat drive, which originated in 2014, was originally a separate affair but was lumped in with the Kiwanis toy drive last year due to covid-19 concerns.

Kiwanis member Kitty Wrench will again supervise coat drive collections, with other items sought including sweaters, boots, shoes, gloves, scarves and blankets.

Besides accepting donations, Kiwanis members will also vend lottery tickets during the toy and coat drive.

Kiwanis “Lottery Raffle” tickets are tied to Maryland’s daily evening straight pick-3, with 1,000 tickets numbered from 000-999 available for $20 each.

“We will have our lottery tickets with us as we did last year just to give people a chance to purchase,” he said.

Kiwanis members have several food-based fundraising ventures planned, starting this Saturday at the Oktoberfest Pickleball Tournament.

Landis said club members would be on hand grilling hot dogs and hamburgers during the middle installment of the three-day tournament at the Ocean Pines Racquet Center.

“Even though we started as the ‘dog team,’ now it’s hot dogs and hamburgers and sometimes baked goods and snacks,” he said.

Kiwanis food sales will also be held during the Ocean Pines Halloween celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday Oct. 30, and the Winter Wonderland Artisan and Craft Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 6. Both events take place at the Ocean Pines Community Center.

Landis said in 2020 the club shattered previous collection totals for both its toy and coat drives after combining the efforts, which prompted an expansion from four to five weeks this year.

Last fall, roughly 400 coats and four SUV loads of toys were contributed by community members.

“It might need a little more time to try to duplicate what we did last year,” he said.