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Suffolk, Va. – The Sheriff’s Office held its annual toy drive on Saturday at both Suffolk Walmart locations on N. Main Street and College Drive. This year, 60 large bags of toys and 24 bikes were donated to four churches — The Balm Church, First Baptist Mahan, Union Baptist, and Tabernacle Outreach.

Sheriff David Miles said he was “elated” with the amount of toys donated this year. 

“Community engagement is very important to our office,” he said, “and this is just another opportunity where we can go back and share some good will.”

Mary Herndon, First Baptist Mahan church administrator, said they were “overwhelmed and thankful” that the Sheriff’s department chose to donate to their church this year. 

The next step, she said, will be to organize the toys based on age group and then assess who in their church may be in need of them. After they distribute among the church, the remaining toys will be donated to others in the community.

“The thanks goes and the gratitude goes to those in our community who thought enough of us and what we were doing that wanted to partner and support it,” Miles said.