'It makes me feel really, really happy': Weymouth girl to host annual toy drive Saturday

WEYMOUTH – Sophie Ames first got the idea for a toy drive when she was in the fifth grade.

She took a class that encouraged students to get involved with a charity through volunteer work or raising donations, and her connection to family members who served in the military pushed her to partner with Toys for Tots, a collection for underprivileged kids held each year by the Marine Corps.

Sophie collected a couple of hundred toys that year, which she then passed on to Toys for Tots to be given out ahead of the holidays.

“I really enjoyed it,” Sophie, now 13, said. “It made me feel really happy that a bunch of kids were getting toys.”

The toy drive has become an annual tradition for Sophie, who's now an eighth grader at Chapman Middle School. She said the drive brings in thousands of toys each holiday season, and she hopes to continue to host it each year through high school.

Sophie's fourth annual toy drive will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26, at Chapman Middle School, 1051 Commercial St., in Weymouth.

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Sophie's mom, Danielle Ames, said Weymouth-based Molisse Realty Group will assist the toy drive by taking the gifts to a distribution center in Boston.

Gifts for infants and children up to age 13 will be accepted. The toys should be new and in their packaging, but not wrapped.

"We noticed ages 12 and up haven't been getting as many toys, and people focus on ages 6 and younger, so if we were able to get more 12-and-up gifts that would be wonderful," Sophie said.

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She said she's thankful that so many people have come together to help make the toy drive a success.

"It makes me feel really, really happy that a lot of people in the community want to help and donate," she said.

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