'It Makes Me Smile:' St. Michael-Albertville High School Collects Nearly 1,000 Toys

The St. Michael-Albertville High School National Honor Society wanted to make every child's Christmas memorable.

They set a goal of drawing 1,000 donations for their annual toy drive, and came in close — 939 toys were collected and recently donated to the Hanover Food Shelf. The amount surpassed last year's donations.

"It is neat to see the progression of the drive as the years go on," said Ellie Kriese of the National Honor Society. "We can only hope next year to break 1,000."

She said as the NHS is an organization that strives to help the community, the toy drive is a significant event.

"I think I can speak for the whole organization when I say that it is the mere fact that we are helping kids in Minnesota who usually wouldn't receive gifts that makes the whole drive worth it," she said. "I know that it makes me smile just to think that some little boy or girl will wake up with a gift under their tree, and that simple act of kindness will make that child's Christmas memorable."