The Honey Brook Borough Police Department is collecting new, unwrapped toys for its 2021 Christmas Toy Drive. The collection began on Nov. 15 and will run through Monday, Dec. 20.

Toys can be dropped off at the following Honey Brook locations: Honey Brook Borough Hall or Police Department, 71 Pequea Ave.; Eby's General Store, 3801 Horseshoe Pike; Suburban Brewing Company 322 Taproom, 3041 Horseshoe Pike; M&T Bank, 4711 Horseshoe Pike; Honey Brook Presbyterian Church, 4331 Horseshoe Pike; Honey Brook United Methodist Church, 4510 Horseshoe Pike; Living God Lutheran Church, 3200 Horseshoe Pike; Honey Brook Early Learning Center, 1099 Maple St.; Brandywine Martial Arts Academy, 1331 Walnut Road; September Farms, 5287 Horseshoe Pike; and Honey Brook Elementary Center, 1530 Walnut Road.

Toys for boys and girls ages 6 to 15 are being collected, although there is a special need for gifts for teenagers. "We get a lot of stuff for younger kids, and we have middle school students on our list," said Jeanne Jenzano, a member of the Honey Brook Borough Council. "We get monetary donations throughout the year, which we keep in a police department activity fund. We (use those donations) to go out and buy (teen gifts like) Walmart gift cards, jewelry, craft kits, board games or remote-control cars." She noted that one year fishing rods were given to some of the teenagers as gifts.

The families that receive the gifts are determined by members of the police department. "They identify families throughout the year. We (focus on) about a dozen families," said Jenzano, noting that all of the families who receive toys also get a holiday meal. "It's a complete Christmas dinner with a turkey, (boxed) mashed potatoes and stuffing, gravy, vegetables, rolls and a pie."

Monetary donations used to purchase food items for the Christmas dinners can be dropped off at the police station or borough hall.

Because of the generosity of the Honey Brook community, Jenzano is frequently called out to empty the donation boxes. "I will run and collect the toys so that there is room for more; they fill up," she noted. "We have been doing this for many years. People expect that it will happen."

When the collection is over, a gift-wrapping event is held at the borough, and the gifts are delivered a few days before Christmas. "We have a day of wrapping and police and community volunteers wrap all day," Jenzano explained. "Each kid gets a big box of toys. We label the boxes, and the chief (Calvin Wilson) loads them in his car and goes out and delivers them. It makes Christmas more wonderful for the kids."

Jenzano, who is a member of the board at the Honey Brook Food Pantry (HBFP), noted that extra toys collected last year were donated to the HBFP as part of its Christmas distribution. "No toy goes to waste," she added.

To learn more about the Honey Brook Borough Police Department, visit http://www.facebook.com/honeybrookboroughpolicedepartment.