OIL CITY, Pa. (EYT) — Venango County’s Toys for Tots program is entering the home stretch. Toy distribution is set for Saturday, but the community can still donate to help make a child’s Christmas a little merrier.

(PHOTO: Volunteers wrap toys for Venango County Toys for Tots program.)

Lisa Winger, the program’s local coordinator, sees an increased need for toys in the county.

This year there are more than 580 children registered to be part of the program in Venango County, an increase of 80 children over last year’s numbers.

According to Winger, they have some specific needs at this point.

“We are looking for toys for older children,” she told exploreVenango.com.

“In this year’s campaign, we are lacking in toys for nine, 10, 11 and 12 year olds.”

What do you buy for children in that age range?

Winger has a few suggestions, as follows:

Boys:

– Footballs or basketballs
– Bikes
– Games
– Nerf guns
– Hand-held electronics

Girls:

– Craft projects
– Nail polish
– Makeup
– Curling irons

Toys for Tots is not allowed to collect gift cards and realistic-looking guns (Nerf guns are okay.)

The program will accept monetary donations. That money is then used to purchase toys that may be lacking, such as those for the older children.

This is Winger’s sixth year with the program; she has seen a number of heartwarming scenarios.

One that sticks in her mind happened a few years ago.

A person in the community had been battling a recurrence of breast cancer. The woman had posted on social media that all her children wanted for Christmas that year was bikes. A friend brought this situation to Winger’s attention on a Saturday. Within a few hours, a 50/50 raffle was organized at a high school playoff football game being held that day at Oil City High School.

“Within a couple of hours, because of the amazing close-knit community we have, we were able to purchase bikes for this family who otherwise would not have been able to get these bikes,” she said.

“It was because people realize what an amazing campaign Toys for Tots is, but also because of the great community that we live in that we support each other.”

They try to give each child in the program six presents each, according to Winger.

The toys will be distributed on Saturday, December 14, at the Oil City VFW from 9:00 a.m. until noon.

Find out more about the Venango County Toys for Tots program on Facebook.