When Springfield HOPE put out the call for donations, Springfield residents responded.

"The generosity people have shown has blown my mind," Dr. Gary Hecht said. He was speaking in his office on Friday, Dec. 17, surrounded by dozens of brand new toys donated by township families. "I am speechless."

For the second year in a row Springfield HOPE has run its own toy drive to benefit township families in need. Hecht and his fellow HOPE members have been busy collecting toys from drop off points throughout Springfield. 

Friday marked the end of the collection, and Hecht was collecting the toys for distribution in the Mountain Ave. Chiropractic office. He said that the boxes left in places like the Fire Dept. headquarters and Walton School have been continually filled up, and that donations included high ticket items like MP3 players and digital cameras.

"This has to be three times the toys we collected last year," Hecht chiropractic employee Kim Bergan said. 

Families dropped by Hecht's office throughout the day to collect their presents. And Christmas icon Santa Claus was on hand to add to the holiday cheer from 3:3o p.m. to 6:30 p.m.