Young men unite to distribute toys

By CHARLES W. JOHNSON / News Editor for the Southern Standard

Members of the Young Men United organization. Pictured are, from left, Steve Grayson, Wayne Wolford, Charlie Boyd, Donald Crisp, Nelson Ramsey and Calvin Smith. (Charles W. Johnson photo)

Over 2000 years ago in Bethlehem a child was born and laid in a manger. It is that birth that we really celebrate at Christmastime, but we are also told that wise men visited the Christ child and brought him gifts, and we follow that tradition today as well, so Christmas has become a time of giving and sharing our good fortune with others.

That is certainly the case with the Young Men United organization and its annual toy drive. Like many organizations around the county, the YMU works hard to make sure all the children in Warren County have a great Christmas. The group receives names of families from a variety of sources and puts together packages of toys to give these children on Christmas eve.

According to YMU vice-chairman Steven Grayson, the group was formed to help provide local kids with healthy and wholesome activities under the supervision of caring role-models.

“This is a non-profit organization,” Grayson said. “We do activities during the summer, like softball games. Right now we have the Bobby Ray school gym open from 5:30 to 8 p.m. It gives kids something to do to keep them off the streets and out of trouble. Our motto is building character for life.”

YMU was formed in 1998, and began its toy drive the next year.

“The first year we did the toy drive was 1999,” Grayson said. “When we started in 1998, Christmas was already over.”

The drive has grown substantially in just four years, according to Grayson.

“The first year we did the toy drive we might have had two or three families,” he said. “This year we have 20 families and 40 kids. It keeps you busy.”

The money for the project comes from fundraisers and donations from individuals.

“We have car washes, fish fries and things like that to raise money,” Grayson said. “We do what we can with what we got.”

The group says, though it’s a lot of hard work, they enjoy doing the project.

“It’s helping kids,” Grayson said.

Fellow YMU member Donald Crisp said being involved means a lot to him personally.

“It just hits me in my heart,” Crisp said. “You’re kind of at a loss for words when you see those little faces light up. Your heart feels good because you know you’re doing something good.”

This year’s drive is especially poignant for members because some of the toys were donated by Robert Robinson, the father of Matthew Robinson who unfortunately passed away in June of this year at the age of 27. Some of the YMU members had worked with Matthew at Yorozu.

“His father approached us and said his son had a bunch of action figures,” Grayson said, “and he said, ‘I want you to have them so you can give them to some other kids. He brought them to work and I took them. Basically all these action figures, this WWF stuff, came from his son, Matthew.

“This really has a lot of meaning for us,” Grayson added. “Because we knew him, worked with him. So really this is a tribute to Matthew this year.”

Anyone who would like to help or make a donation to the organization for next year’s toy drive can contact YMU president Nelson Ramsey at 815-9254.