2017 Toy Box Donation Info.

[Limitool]

Hello all and MERRY CHRISTMAS.

I just thought I'd share some of what happened this year. Last year I donated 15 toy boxes total to needy children. And most of you know I put a memorial plate on each one in remembrance of my late daughter and her son/my grandson. Both were killed on Feb. 16th 2015.

This year was even larger than last year. I built and donated 38 toy boxes this year. And all carried their names again as last year. But this year I had some monetary help from some civic groups and a private enterprise. These 3 groups gifted me $500.00 ea., the Centerville community of the "Knights of Pythias", the Franklin Rotary and TOYOTA of Cool Springs. Each group wanted 10 toy boxes. And each group then filled their toy boxes and delivered to needy individuals.

1. The Franklin PD Dept. & the Rotary did a 2nd toy drive and food drive together again. My wife and I went up to Franklin Wed. morning and watched all the toy boxes being brought from the PD to the area Publix food store. Then the Rotary aligned their food drive needs to each box. AND... they included 30+ other families outside of the toy boxes.

2. TOYOTA of Cool Springs, TN. did a drive for the Wounded Warriors and children of Fort Campbell who needed help.

3. The "Knights of Pythias" of my area Centerville TN. did a great job on their 1st drive. They supported 10 and I donated 5 others myself. I watched many of the filled toy boxes going out to needy children Thurs. morning.

The Franklin TN. PD. escorted each toy box to its assigned designation. And the Hickman Co. TN. Sheriff's dept. did the same here with each toy box from Centerville. It was an honor to my wife and I watching each leave. Then at the last minute (4-days ago) I discovered from a great source that 2 children were just removed from an abusive environment and had nothing personal to their name. They live only 7 miles away from me. I got their names and made each a personal toy box for Christmas. A girl SARAH is 11 & her brother ETHAN is 5. They each have something now personal and my wife and others made sure their were gifts in their toy boxes also.

But fellow T-Netters... here's the best of the best thus far (for me & Bonnie). I received a call early Wed. evening from a 27 y/o lady. She was crying so hard I couldn't hardly understand her. She stated she just received a toy box full of gifts and was so thankful. She said her 2 boys would not have had a Christmas without this toy box and gifts. I explained to her that I only built the toy box but others filled it. She actually took the time to look up my daughter Kristi Clark and her son Carter Oakley from the memorial plate and then related the toy box back to me from my branding iron plate attached. Other than taking that interest there is no way to connect all of us from the toy box info. She wants to help me build donated toy boxes next year now... (GREAT!).

Just thought I'd share on this Christmas Eve and I truly wish everybody a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

 

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[Professor of Engineering]

Fantastic act of kindness!

May God Bless You, Bonnie, Kristi and Carter.

Thank you so much for sharing...

 

[against the wind]

Limitool, thank you for sharing a wonderful Christmastime story. Merry Christmas to you and Bonnie.

 

[Loco-Digger]

Now you got me crying tears of joy Limitool. Great post, it really show's that Christmas wishes can come true. Kudos to you and your family and all those others involved. There are Angels among us.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

 

[ChampFerguson/TN]

Its amazing what one man can do.

 

[sawmill man]

God bless you limitool, and Merry Christmas.

 

[RudyT]

You my friend have a large heart!! I’m so sorry for your loss but I guarantee you that they are in heaven right now smiling at you. I know they are proud of you. Take care my friend and may God Bless you and your family.

 

[Limitool]

That is a true statement but in this case I needed others to step up to fill them, deliver them and help me complete the mission. But never did I think I'd be up to 53 toy boxes donated in 2 years. Without the monetary support I guess I wouldn't be. I didn't make a penny off their support but I truly appreciate all those groups in supporting my dream as they did.

I have a question that maybe someone might have an idea for me: There's a guy that lives near me in Dickson TN. named Craig Morgan. I don't know exactly where but he lives real close. He lost his 18 y/o son in a boating accident recently. I read online that he uses woodworking as a coping tool. I'd like to somehow contact him and introduce myself and to share what I've done in the last 2 years. I was hoping he might be interested in doing something of the same in his area with me... Does anyone know how to contact someone like him? I've tried a couple of ways and failed. Thanks for any ideas... Brad

 

[Red James Cash]

Hey buddy youre a good guy,I dont care what anybody says about you

 

[ChampFerguson/TN]

That is a true statement but in this case I needed others to step up to fill them, deliver them and help me complete the mission. But never did I think I'd be up to 53 toy boxes donated in 2 years. Without the monetary support I guess I wouldn't be. I didn't make a penny off their support but I truly appreciate all those groups in supporting my dream as they did.

I have a question that maybe someone might have an idea for me: There's a guy that lives near me in Dickson TN. named Craig Morgan. I don't know exactly where but he lives real close. He lost his 18 y/o son in a boating accident recently. I read online that he uses woodworking as a coping tool. I'd like to somehow contact him and introduce myself and to share what I've done in the last 2 years. I was hoping he might be interested in doing something of the same in his area with me... Does anyone know how to contact someone like him? I've tried a couple of ways and failed. Thanks for any ideas... Brad

PM sent. Didn't want to post possible contact info publically. Good Luck!

 

[Limitool]

PM sent. Didn't want to post possible contact info publically. Good Luck!

Got it all and will try again soon. THANK YOU for your effort and time!

 

[releventchair]

Merry Christmas you two on the hill/ ridge.
A lot of lives affected in a very positive way....

 

[Peyton Manning]

Brad you have a heart of gold, hope the donations covered the costs

PS, there are some old guys nearing retirement that are a bit short on a nest egg. Any way you could make a nice wooden box filled with gold? I'll pm you an address

 

[WannaDig3687]

I'm glad your community is helping you and your wife with your healing process. My heart goes out to you and your wife. Thanks for sharing in so many ways.

 

[Carolina Tom]

Very well done sir.

 

[RGINN]

Wow, just a great thing you started and I'm glad to see it get bigger and bigger. You are an inspiration to me on how to take a bad thing, and turn it around to benefit so many other people. I don't think I could do that, so good job. As to jeff-gordon, just cobble together something out of apple crates that will be able to hold 4 or 5 lumps of coal, haha!

 

[Limitool]

Wow, just a great thing you started and I'm glad to see it get bigger and bigger. You are an inspiration to me on how to take a bad thing, and turn it around to benefit so many other people. I don't think I could do that, so good job. As to jeff-gordon, just cobble together something out of apple crates that will be able to hold 4 or 5 lumps of coal, haha!

Sure you could. Anyone one of us could if you had a skill, the means, time and was "driven". Any one of you could. I just don't know how much bigger it can get with just me building whether I'm sponsored or not. I wish my dogs had thumps!!!!

 

[cw0909]

maybe the paper has info for the store
his story
Craig Morgan?s new Downtown Dickson store helped star cope

That is a true statement but in this case I needed others to step up to fill them, deliver them and help me complete the mission. But never did I think I'd be up to 53 toy boxes donated in 2 years. Without the monetary support I guess I wouldn't be. I didn't make a penny off their support but I truly appreciate all those groups in supporting my dream as they did.

I have a question that maybe someone might have an idea for me: There's a guy that lives near me in Dickson TN. named Craig Morgan. I don't know exactly where but he lives real close. He lost his 18 y/o son in a boating accident recently. I read online that he uses woodworking as a coping tool. I'd like to somehow contact him and introduce myself and to share what I've done in the last 2 years. I was hoping he might be interested in doing something of the same in his area with me... Does anyone know how to contact someone like him? I've tried a couple of ways and failed. Thanks for any ideas... Brad

 

[Ahab8]

Wow!!!! I love anything that causes me to stop and get emotional. My demanding job tends to turn me into a robot on occasion and I get tunnel vision. The 80 hour weeks and no days off can make you numb at times. When something hits me in the heart and reminds me that there’s much bigger and more important things than schedules and budgets it’s always therapeutic. Taking your loss and pain and focusing it on making others lives better in their memories is so special. Some people become bitter and withdrawn and not never get past wondering why they had to go through such a terrible loss. I cannot blame them for a second and would never claim that I would be any different. Special souls like yourself take all of that heart break and somehow have the strength to turn it into something beautiful for others. I can only imagine that this act of kindness of helps to heal your heart just a bit every time you bell somebody in need. To have it touch somebody like it did that young lady is really amazing. In a world that just simply makes me sad sometimes reading your story restores my faith in the fact that there’s a lot more great people in this world than the evil and selfish. Thank you so much for sharing your story. I know I feel better for reading it.

 

[Limitool]

Wow!!!! I love anything that causes me to stop and get emotional.

Thanks for the kind words guy. At many times when I'm building the toy boxes for targeted donations I'm a 62 y/o "little girl" when no one is around. Especially attaching the memorial plates I order and attach to each donated toy box. I guess you have to be "me" to understand totally. I'm just proud to be able to do so and have some support. Hopefully I can continue for a few years forward also... Thanks, Brad