MISENHEIMER — Bicycles, dolls, stuffed animals, remote-control cars and dozens of brightly colored Christmas bags containing every toy imaginable flooded the Misenheimer Police Station this holiday season.

There was even clothing, groceries and gifts for parents — all collected to help deserving families.

What started out as a simple, thoughtful effort led by the Misenheimer Police Department to assist one family, snowballed into an act of kindness that generated hundreds of gifts and toys for many families in the area. For several weeks, the officers have directed the effort.

“It was amazing to see the tremendous outpouring from our officers and their families, Pfeiffer students, staff and faculty as well as the citizens of the Misenheimer community,” said Misenheimer Police Chief Tracey Wyrick, who stood amid the large pile of goodies housed in the station located on the Pfeiffer University campus. “Every time we opened the door there was someone waiting with an armload of gifts.”

The officers soon realized they were getting numerous duplicate items and enough for multiple families. Three days before Christmas, they loaded a truck and delivered 500 to 600 toys to the Stanly Community Christian Ministry’s “Helping Hands” store in Albemarle for distribution. The next day, they delivered the remaining items to a very grateful family who was overcome with emotion.

“We couldn’t do any of this without help from the people on campus and the community,” said Wyrick, who said he hopes this is just the start and the influx of gifts next year will be just as great. “I would be remiss if I didn’t thank those who were instrumental in this effort.”

Wyrick said Misenheimer officers Dale Honeycutt, Phillip Thompson, Jim Hall, Dean Martin, Danny Belcher, Kenny Helms and their families were vital in the collection. He said others who were specifically important to the drive were Dollar General, the Misenheimer Village Council and community, and Pfeiffer’s Commuter Students Association led by Diane Martin, the group’s adviser and transfer admissions counselor at Pfeiffer.

This is not the first time the Misenheimer Police Department has coordinated such an initiative. They conducted a toy drive last year to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina and were able to send more than 500 toys to the gulf region before Christmas.

Pfeiffer University is a comprehensive United Methodist-related university, with multiple campuses, including in Charlotte and the Triangle, committed to educational excellence, service, and scholarship. Visit the school’s Web site at: www.pfeiffer.edu.