NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Last Minute Toy Store on Antioch Pike in Nashville is gearing up to provide toys for more than 8,500 Middle Tennessee children this holiday season, marking an increase from last year's 7,500 kids served.
One volunteer tells us the organization needs more volunteers for the upcoming weekend to help sort and distribute toys by category and age group.
"We're the last opportunity usually for folks who are needing toys for Christmas for their kids," said Duane Leffel, one of the volunteers.
Leffel's commitment runs so deep that he now drives from Houston, Texas, where he moved after selling his Nashville home, just to continue volunteering.
"It's a very efficient-run operation. It has to be," Leffel said.
For volunteer Jacob Waddell, the work is deeply personal. He first learned about the Last Minute Toy Store as a child when his parents received toys from the organization.
"I learned about the last minute toy store because my parents got toys from here when I was a kid," Waddell said.
Now, volunteering has become his way of showing gratitude and giving back.
"You'll never be more filled with love, hope and you'll never leave here having a bad day. It lifts you up as much as it lifts up the people that you're serving," Waddell said.
The volunteers work to ensure children receive everything from bicycles to basketballs, making sure every child has something special under the tree this Christmas morning.
If you want to learn about how to volunteer, click here.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
During a week when it seems that frustration is the prevailing sentiment felt across middle Tennessee amid ongoing power outages, Forrest Sanders brings us a story of love, faithfulness and a remarkable family... plus, a little humor on the side. Enjoy!
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