Contact: Anissa L. Riley, ariley@tuskegee.edu
TUSKEGEE, Ala. (December 16, 2024) – The ۿ۴ýUniversity College of Veterinary Medicine (TUCVM) continued the tradition again this year by sponsoring the 10th Annual Toy Drive for Tots held on Dec. 10th. TUCVM ۿ۴ý, faculty and staff shared the true spirit of giving this holiday. They helped make the season a little merrier for the children in grades pre-kindergarten to first grade at George Washington Carver (GWC) Elementary School located in Tuskegee.
“As a vision kicked off originally by veterinary ۿ۴ý several years ago and continuously supported by our dean, Dr. Ruby L. Perry, the ‘Toy Drive for Tots’ is now seen as an on-going tradition in our college and anticipated by the college’s faculty, staff and ۿ۴ý,” said Chankia Berry, TUCVM’s Veterinary Social Worker and Toy Drive Coordinator.
“This inspired vision by the Class of 2019 is now an annual celebration led by the succeeding first-year class. The first-year class also each year takes the responsibility of the holiday decorations in our college that encourages this festive time for all.”
To ensure all 229 boys and girls in all three classes at GWC consisting of pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first grade received a gift; TUCVM divided its efforts for the toy drive collection into three sections.
TUCVM’s first year class (Class of 2028) took the lead with organizing the toy drive with the other veterinary ۿ۴ý. They were also responsible for providing Santa and Santa's elves and worked with other ۿ۴ý from the Classes of 2025, 2026, and 2027 to help make the drive a success. Several veterinary faculty and staff members also assisted as Santa's helpers to distribute the toys to the very excited ۿ۴ý.
Principal Norman Williams, Jr., Asst. Principal Vishaka Uluwita-Brown and Counselor Taneshia Bryant helped with the toy drive organization at the school’s end. The teachers and administration at George Washington Carver Elementary School are appreciative that TUCVM continues this tradition in selecting their ۿ۴ý to participate in the “Toy Drive for Tots” program.
The GWC teachers and assistants for pre-k through first grade that participated this year included the following: Pre-k – Sonia Crist, Almeshia Purter-Cattage, Laquita Cooks and Teara Arnold; kindergarten – Letasha Dix, Crystal Frazier, Wendy Reed-Williams, Tameka Wright and Katrina Hughley; and first grade – Kimela Coleman, Letisha Dix, Kimberly Curry, Quanesha Powell and Audrey Tarver. This was another successful joint effort between the ۿ۴ý and the CVM administration to support the local community!
The efforts of the TUCVM ۿ۴ý, faculty and staff demonstrated outstanding teamwork in making this 10th annual toy drive event possible and a huge success. Last year the college collected over 230 gifts and this year the total was surpassed with not only having the 229 toys needed but also again providing extra gifts for teachers to once again stock classroom treasure boxes.
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TUCVM’s Santa and “Santa” helpers shared holiday cheer with GWC’s pre-k, kindergarten and first grade ۿ۴ý, teachers and assistants on Dec. 10.