By Shavonne Walker
shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Early morning motorists and Krispy Kreme regulars may notice something different at the West Innes Street establishment. There will be a few people on the roof, not making repairs, but collecting toys.

The toys will be distributed through Toys for Tots as Christmas gifts for those Rowan County children in need. Volunteers have for the last eight or nine years held camp at the popular doughnut shop to accept new, unwrapped toys.

Toys for Tots is a United States Marine Corps-sponsored program that has been in existence since 1947.

Rowan County Toys for Tots Coordinator Arbe Arbelaez will be onsite beginning today at 8 a.m. and will camp out on the roof until Sunday around 3 p.m. He’ll be joined by longtime law enforcement officer Mark Shue, Chris Waller, a local firearms instructor; as well as Boy Scout and West Rowan Senior Isaac Lingle.

Shue has been a longtime supporter of Toys for Tots and has for many years stayed on the roof for the weekend. Lingle is also hoping to finish up an Eagle Scout project with the program.

Arbelaez and his wife, Ann, have been collecting toys for nearly a year for newborns up to age 12.

Ann said cash donations and new toys will be accepted this weekend. Each person who gives will receive a doughnut. The shop will be open 24 hours while the donation drive is going on, she said.

“We’re excited,” Ann said.

The ages that are in the most need are newborns to two-year-old as well as ages 10 to 12 for both boys and girls.

She said, for some reason, those are the ages where they receive the least amount of toys.

As of now, Arbelaez said the program has received applications for 170 families. Applications have been taken through the Rowan County Christmas Bureau since November. However, Saturday will be the final day to accept applications.

The Toys for Tots website will also be a place where families can fill out an application through Dec. 15.

The local Toys for Tots organization does not cover the towns of Landis and China Grove or the southern part of Kannapolis. Those areas are covered by the Cabarrus area Toys for Tots.

All toys are collected in Rowan County and stay in Rowan County to help families in this area, she said.

Visit www.toysfortots.org for more details about Toys for Tots.

Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-4253.