Wayback and FOCUS partner for toy drive

Alexis Barker
NLJ Reporter
 
Wayback Burgers and FOCUS have partnered once again to bring the Weston County Toy Drive to the area during the holiday season. The two entities hope to bring Christmas cheer to children by providing holiday gifts and other items to families in need. 
“From the day I got into this franchise, Wayback has been very community oriented,” said Bart Loebs, owner of Wayback Burgers in Newcastle. “I was born and raised in Newcastle, and wanted to be community-oriented too. I am happy that I now have a vehicle and the opportunity to help out my community.” 
Loebs recalled that just over a year ago he received a mass email from the Wayback franchise suggesting that the business try to partner with a local entity to provide a need to the community over the holiday season. Originally, Loebs said, he had wanted to become involved with Toys for Tots, but found that no local entity was doing the toy drive. 
So he started his own. 
Thus, the Weston County Toy Drive was born, and now Wayback and FOCUS are partnering to bring not only holiday gifts but hats, scarves, and coats to families in need. According to Loebs, the toy drive will also collect outdoor gear, such as coats and scarves, that will be given to Operation Santa, which is a service project of the fourth-graders at Newcastle Elementary School. 
Last year the Weston County Toy Drive provided holiday gifts to 48 kids, Loebs said, and he believes they could have helped more. 
“If we would have had more names last year, we could have helped a lot more kids,” Loebs said. “It was pretty amazing for the first year.” 
The toy drive officially began on Dec. 1 – Loebs said that toys had already been donated before the official start date – and will end on Dec. 19, with delivery scheduled to begin on Dec. 20. Anyone who takes a new toy or outdoor gear worth $5 or more to Wayback will receive a free regular-size milkshake. Loebs noted that it is a free milkshake for every item brought in. 
Loebs said that gifts can be either wrapped or unwrapped, according to the donor’s preference. Wrapped gifts should be labeled with the intended recipient’s age and gender. 
“FOCUS has purchased a bunch of gifts bags, and I will donate wrapping paper,” Loebs said. “Anything that does not get donated wrapped will be wrapped.” 
Families can be signed up for the toy drive anonymously at either Wayback or the FOCUS office.
“If anyone knows any families or kids that may not have a Christmas because of hard times, that is what we are here for,” Loebs said. “We want to help these kids get Christmas.” 
The age and gender of each child whose name has been submitted will be placed on a tree at Shopko, where people can see them and know what kind of gifts to purchase. The purchaser can then bring the donated items to Wayback to receive a free shake. 
“That is the nice thing about our community. If there is a crisis, emergency or someone down on their luck we come together,” Loebs said. “That is one thing I love about living here. People are very good about lending a helping hand.”