They just completed their annual toy drive, which yielded about 50 items. The collection included Hot Wheels cars, Barbie dolls, Bob the Builder and Spiderman toys, according to Trooper Paul Gardner, the district’s public resource officer.

He said the troopers bought toys and accepted donations of toys from the public. The effort started around Thanksgiving and concluded during the second week of December.

He said two entities received the toys collected this year. They are the Santa Cops program conducted by the Hamilton County Peace Officers Association and the New Opportunities program conducted by the Church of Christ in Rockwell City.

Additionally, the Iowa State Troopers Association donated $100 to the Hamilton County Santa Cops program.

-Submitted photo
Toys received for the annual collection effort conducted by Iowa State Patrol District 7 are stacked up in the district’s building near Fort Dodge.

The toys were transported from the District 7 office near Fort Dodge to the Santa Cops program and the church.

“That whole church was full of toys,” Gardner said.

He said the two organizations will distribute the toys to families that might not otherwise have something to put under the Christmas tree.

“We’ve had a lot of good comments from families,” Gardner said.

He said each year the district’s troopers pick one or two organizations to receive the toys that are collected.