Last winter, a gentleman came into my office and introduced himself as Sam McCombs. He told me about his ministry of making wooden toys.

He told me about years of taking his wooden toys to toy sales where he held fund raisers for Veterans in various parts of the US. He told me several stories of how he would give toys to children of soldiers who were overseas.

You see he too is a veteran. He knows how it is for the families of soldiers serving their country and the special needs they often incur. The proceeds of those toy sales often went to help those families.

But Sam and his wonderful wife and helper are now getting up in age. He can no longer travel like he did. His inventory of toys grows as he still likes to make them in his shop.

Problem is, he ran out of room to store them.

He knew that the church needed funds and wondered if the congregation would take his toys and sell them. He also said the church could keep all the proceeds.

The church now has a large inventory of wooden toys. There are doll sized high chairs, cribs and table and chair sets. There are wooden trains; there are airplanes and trucks; there are wooden tool chests complete with toy tools; there are rocking horses and even toddler sized tables and chairs.

There's been one sale already, with many pieces being purchased. The toys will also be available for sale at the local Huckster Days celebration on September 15th & 16th on the County Court House lawns. In the meantime, if anyone comes by the church during office hours (8:00 to 5:00) Monday through Thursday, someone will be glad to help you find an item.

Story and photos courtesy of FCC Butler
Pastor Lem Whitmer.