Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Ward Heads Third Toy Drive As Queen

Nothing is sadder than a child getting no gifts for Christmas.

In order to help prevent this from happening in Nevada County, local beauty queen, Jesse Ward, is working to collect stuffed toys to be donated to area children.

This is Ward's third year to head the stuffed toy drive, with it part of her community service project.

She said boxes for the stuffed toys can be found at the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce, Nevada County Branch Bank of Delight and the Nevada County Courthouse, along with the First United Methodist Church.

The toy drive, though, isn't the only area of community service Ward is active in. Through her time in pageants, she has spoken to 42 schools in the state on guns and gang violence.

Last year, Ward said, the drive collected about 150 stuffed toys for the county's less privileged children.

She said all the toys donated will remain in Nevada County, and be handed out to children who may otherwise have no Christmas presents.

"This is a good opportunity for parents to teach their children about donating anonymously," she said, "especially at Christmas.

Once the toys are collected, they are taken to the Department of Human Services office in Prescott. The DHS has a list of needy children and contacts them.

But, Ward said, the best present of all is handing the stuffed toys to the children and seeing their faces light up with joy. "There's nothing like it."

Ward recently won the title of Miss Texarkana and will compete in the Miss Texas pageant in July. "This is the only pageant," she said, "with a double franchise."

This means she will hold the title for two years, competing this year in Texas and next year in the Miss Arkansas pageant without having to go through any other preliminary pageants.

Those wanting to make donations to the stuffed toy drive can drop off their gifts at any of the aforementioned locations, but hurry as the toys will be collected Wednesday, Dec. 22, so they can be handed out to the children.