Toys 4 Our Town

Melanie Brown Culpepper hosts toy donation drop-off events to collect toys for needy children.

5th Annual Event Collects Toys For Children in Need

by James Coulter

Christmas is right around the corner. Most children will be finding gifts under their trees or in their stockings. Sadly, others will not. And even sadder: some of them live right here in Polk County.

Five years ago, Melanie Brown Culpepper wanted to change all that. She saw people donating at various toy drives, but she did not know where those donations were going. She wanted a drive that would send toys to children inside the county, especially in Winter Haven.

“I started wanting to give less fortunate children in our town toys,” she said. “Sometimes, I felt that these toy drives, personally, I did not know where they were going. And I wanted to make sure the children in our town received something.”

For that very reason, she started Toys 4 Our Town. In collaboration with Freedom Tour Church located in Lake Wales, at Eagle Ridge Mall, all the donations are delivered locally in time for Christmas Day. This year, she will be hosting donation events at various bars, restaurants and other local establishments to collect unwrapped toys. These events will also feature live music, trivia nights, drink specials and raffles; something different at each location.

Once Melanie has made her rounds that month, she will send all her donations to Pastor Bobby Williams, who will deliver the toys with his team to children across the county. Last year, they were able to reach out to 1,000 families, she said.

Freedom Tour Church engages in the local community with various charity drives, food drives, and disaster relief. In doing so, his church lives up to Christ’s calling to love and help your fellow man.

Pastor Bobby Williams loves giving back to his community. He especially loves being a blessing during this time of year, as many families are unable to afford Christmas presents for their children.

“It is always a God thing for us,” Williams said. “The Bible says it is a blessing to be a blessing, so we love seeing smiles on kids’ faces and families and they are very appreciative because many of them cannot afford to get anything.”

Melanie assists and hosts many other charity events throughout the community. Two years ago, she started the Culpepper Cardiac Foundation, a local non-profit organization dedicated to promoting heart health by assisting local EMTs and other first responders and setting up AEDs throughout the community.

She started her organization shortly after the passing of her late fiancée Michael Culpepper, who passed away due to cardiac arrest. Since its inception, it has raised proceeds to confer scholarships to first responders and erect six AEDs in Winter Haven businesses including Melanie’s Cutting Edge, Old Man Frank’s, and The Mission.

Melanie owes her success in all her endeavors to her local community. Their support has allowed her to support them in turn. Together, they have accomplished great things, from ensuring people survive heart problems to giving children Christmas presents.

“It takes all of us together and I am hoping the community will come out here to support this because we all need the support,” she said. “I will say it is very overwhelming, but I cannot let down kids in our town because if we stop doing this, then I am giving up on them, and I will never give up on helping others.”

Melanie has high hopes for this year’s event, to exceed last year's donations. Last year saw more than 1,000 families receive Christmas presents, and this year, she hopes to give out even more.

“I am hoping people come out to these locations because it is not just me and Bobby Williams with Freedom Church, it is all these locations out here willing to help me and all the bands who come out here promoting it,” she said. “I want to tell everyone please work together and help each other because that's what it's all about. Especially this time of year; helping each other and blessing one another. ”

For more information about Toys 4 Our Town, visit Melanie’s Facebook page at: https://www. facebook.com/melanie.brown.90475069