Fly-in toy drive benefits Helping Santa program

As Christmas looms ever closer, thoughts of Barbie dolls, race cars and more dance through the heads of children of all ages – but the reality is that there are families that could benefit from a little help over the holidays. In partnership with the Russellville Fire Department, Harry Mattox, manager of the Russellville Municipal Airport, and the airport board hosted the third annual fly-in toy drive to help those families in Franklin County.

Hudean Wilson first came up with the idea three years ago to host the fly-in toy drive at the airport.

“You hear about all of the usual toy drives and efforts made, but I had never heard of one being done at an airport,” Wilson said.

He pitched the idea to the board, and he said all of the members supported the idea and decided to donate the toys to the RFD’s Helping Santa program.

“We’re blessed, you know. We get to play with these ‘big toys’ (airplanes) here, but then there are children out there that are underprivileged,” Wilson said. “We want to help them.”

The first two years of the event, Wilson said bad weather impeded many pilots from flying in, but that that didn’t stop people from driving by and donating to the toy drive.

This year’s event started at 10 a.m. Nov. 2, with local pilots flying in and citizens dropping by to donate toys and enjoy bowls of chili.

“My wife Janice does so much of the work for this, including the chili,” Wilson said.

By noon the toy collection box was overflowing with toys of various kinds.