Children enjoy J. Michael Miller Toy Giveaway
Dec. 10—"Is that my scooter?" a blonde-haired boy with wide eyes asks as a volunteer hands him a green-and-black scooter.
His mom said the boy was so excited as he reached for the scooter from an SUV loaded with children who all got to pick a toy — as did thousands of children Saturday at the J. Michael Miller Toy Giveaway at Ragan Auto in McAlester.
A girl said she would like a Barbie car as she and her brother awaited their turn in the drive-through toy giveaway.
"My very own Barbie car!" she exclaimed as a volunteer returned from the car shop packed with toys to give her a little pink car she started rolling from her safety seat.
Volunteers bustled around the car shop all morning to bring toys to children awaiting in vehicles lined for dozens of blocks on Saturday. Organizers said the first cars got in line before 5 a.m. Saturday and volunteers worked to keep it moving to give every a merrier Christmas.
The idea for the event originated years ago Reed Marcum, now a McAlester High School senior, wanted to help give some community members a happier holiday season — and the event took off from there.
The event started in 2016 with 800 toys given away and expanded to more than 7,000 toys handed out last year.
Reed organizes the event with his mother, Angie Miller, and his stepfather, McAlester attorney J. Michael Miller, each year — with help from a bevy of several family members and volunteers.
Organizers planned to hand out 10,000 toys at this year's event. A child must be present to receive a toy and any child no older than18 years old qualifies to receive a toy.
Anyone walking the line must not go through the car line.
The event honors the memory of Hudson Campbell, the 2-year-old child of Kelley and Michael Campbell, who died of complications resulting from pediatric cancer in 2018.
Reed later started the Hudson Strong Foundation — which gained 501 (c) 3 status and raises money toward scholarships for students going into the medical field and toward funding for families going through traumatic experiences.
Several of Reed's 4-H projects have honored Hudson and MacKenna "Kenna" Faith Mattioda, who died after being born with a congenital heart disease, pulmonary valve atresia and pulmonary artery stenosis.
He started an auction to raise money toward the foundation and presented checks totaling more than $50,000 from this year's auction to the wife of the late McAlester Police Officer Danny Kelley, and to Leann Yandell, a teacher at Lakewood Christian School who was diagnosed with cancer.
The events also honor the late Frink-Chambers Schools longtime counselor and teacher, Donna Curry, who died of a brain aneurysm. Reed said Curry encouraged him to enter that contest in first grade and he ended up winning it to launch his 4-H career.
This year's event also honors the memory of Reed's grandmother Lucy and his brother, the late Sgt. Miles Tarron, who died last year and received a dignified transfer to his hometown.
Contact Adrian O'Hanlon III at aohanlon@mcalesternews.com
