JOPLIN, Mo. — Employees from Ducommun in Joplin dropped off hundreds of toys at the KSN and KODE studios today. They’re for the annual Joplin Area Firefighters’ “Christmas For Kids” campaign.

This is the 3rd year company employees have done this. It’s all part of their annual “12 Days of Christmas” campaign.

Some of our employees then spent some time setting them up in the studio. However — those toys weren’t here for too long. That’s because Adam Grimes and Jeremy Humphrey with the Joplin Fire Department showed up a few hours later to take them away. All of those donated toys will be distributed to area kids in need—more than a thousand—during this year’s annual Christmas party.

It’s slated for tomorrow night at Celebration Church and is by invitation only.

“We love the spirit of Christmas, and the opportunity to serve the community and to be able to give back in a time like this, it’s, there’s no greater feeling. The community has really done a great job over the years, and this year is no different than any others. Our financial donations were down significantly, but the community’s come by and dropped off a large number of toys this year, gift cards. And that need is greater, probably due to the economic times and we’re just comin’ out of COVID,” said Adam Grimes, JFD.

Kids aren’t the only ones who benefit from Joplin Area Firefighters this time of year. They also take stuffed animals — even baked cookies — for residents in area assisted living facilities.