The Environmental Laboratory at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center completed its eighth Christmas toy drive, collecting and donating 393 toys the Salvation Army in Vicksburg.

Since beginning the drive eight years ago, the laboratory has donated more than 3,900 toys to the Salvation Army Angel Tree Toy Drive. 

Salvation Army Maj. Mary Welch said the laboratory’s donations will provide some needed help to the Salvation Army.

“We had a computer glitch and found out we have 32 more children than we thought,” she said. “This will help with the overflow.”

She said the extra toys will also help with filling some Angel Tree packages to children.

“They have made a tremendous effort and we really appreciate it,” she said.

The toy drive was conceived by Warren Lorentz, who is the chief of the Environmental Processes and Engineering Division, in 2010 after a discussion with his wife Annie, who was very active at their daughter’s school, and was upset about one her daughter’s classmates, who would be getting anything for Christmas.

“Annie starts by telling me that my daughter did really well in school today but she was saddened by what she heard regarding one of my daughter’s classmates,” he said.

His wife, he said, “Has adopted the class and some of the more unfortunate children as well.  She is always chaperoning field trips, baking goodies, slipping a gift here and there but she wanted to do more – it is Christmas.”

That’s when the idea of the toy drive at work hit, Lorentz said, adding he could turn the toy drive into a competition.

“My dedicated volunteers were excited about the idea and the competition took a life of its own,” he said, adding Pam Corulla, a member of his staff who has since retired, called the Salvation Army and learned it had just lost two of its corporate sponsors and there were still 150 angels (children) on their tree who had not been selected.

“The timing,” he said, “Could not have been better.”

The toy drive competition had multiple award categories. To earn the first award, each branch had to get a toy for every letter in the alphabet. Then there was an award for how many times a branch could complete the alphabet list.

“We also had awards for ‘most unique toy,’ ‘coolest toy,’ and ‘biggest stretch’ — like calling a ball a sphere instead of calling it a ball,” he said. “We could not believe the speed in which people were completing the alphabet and the excitement.”

Each year, Lorentz developed a theme, like Toy Story, Looney Tunes and Frozen, and provide prizes for the category award winners. This year’s theme was emojis.

“I must admit that I was taken aback by the amount of toys that people donate every year. The feedback continues to be incredible.  People have fun!  I can’t thank the people of EL enough for what they have done for the children of Vicksburg,” Lorentz said. “They have big hearts. If we think we had fun, wait to the kids see these toys! When EL is faced with a challenge, they are always ready to step up and exceed all expectations.”