17th Annual "Let's Make A Kid Smile" Christmas Toy Drive

12/22/2025

🤶🏻 We stayed the course right to the finish line, and together we gathered everything needed for this year’s toy drive. From new unwrapped toys, games, plushies, books and clothing… to monetary donations, gift cards, and food to fill holiday hampers and wishlists… our community showed up for local families in the most beautiful way. ✨

Thank you to all of this year’s donors. Your compassion echoed throughout our community…loud and clear. Together, we stood behind one shared goal….supporting the love and well being of our community’s vulnerable children. 🙏🏼

A huge shout out to all the phenomenal local businesses who showed up, stood strong, and made this year’s toy drive possible. Your generosity, your hustle, and your heart are the reason local families will feel supported and seen this holiday season. ✨ YOU are the magic behind it all, and our community is stronger because of YOU!! So thank you, my AMAZING Toy Drive Family! I couldn’t begin to do ANY of this without you. 😢 (I will tag you in the comments ❤️)

I would also like to take this moment to send my love and deepest condolences to the entire Sunshine Carpet & Flooring family…and to everyone in our community who knew and loved their beloved matriarch, Gini Stringer. Her presence touched so many lives here in Orillia, and her legacy of kindness, hard work & community spirit will continue to ripple through all of us. May her family, friends, staff & customers find comfort in the impact Gini made & the love she will forever leave behind. She was incredible and she will be profoundly missed. 🤍🕊️

Sending all of my love to you!! Merry Christmas! 🎄

Until next year!! 💫

Raffaella Tassone 🤶🏻

11/24/2025

🤶🏼 Hello again! I’d love to take a moment to thank the amazing businesses who have generously opened their doors as donation drop‑off locations. We are accepting donations until Wednesday December 17, 6 pm. 🎁🎄

11/24/2025

🎄Hi Again Everyone!! We are back in full swing, ….with this years toy drive which wraps up on Wednesday December 17! We are happy to have 20 drop off locations in & around Orillia for this years toy drive & we are starting to collect donations NOW!! I will pin the locations to the top of this page.

❤️ In general - we are looking for new, unwrapped toys, toiletries & warm-wear for ages newborn to 17. We are also seeking gift cards to distribute to our recipients.

🙏🏼 Each year, we struggle to receive donations for teenagers & family fur babies - however, we will gladly accept whatever donations we receive.

🎁 Gift cards are the easiest donation to provide for tweens & teens. This way, the recipient is assured to buy what they want or need to accommodate their individuality. Gift Cards for retailers such as the following were be appreciated: 👇🏼

🛍 Walmart, Best Buy, Amazon, The Gap, SportChek, Indigo, Old Navy, Roots, Toys R Us, Canadian Tire, Best Buy , Maurices, Reitmans, Penningtons, Aritzia, Zara, Lululemon, Urban Outfitters, Pretty Little Thing, Sephora, Forever 21, Garage, Amazon, Nike, The Children’s Place, Urban Planet…

🎁 Rstaurants & Services such as:

🥙 Kelseys, Montanas, East Side Marios, McDonald’s, Burger King, Pizza Pizza, Dominos, The Candy Shoppe, Pita Pit, Pizza Hut, Mariposa Market, Brewery Bay, Tim Hortons, Starbucks, Subway, Mr. Sub, Skip the Dishes, Door Dash, Uber,
Cineplex,

👶🏻 Ideas for babies include: diapers, wipes, onesies, warm clothing, formula, blankets, development games, animated toys, plush toys.

🐾 Ideas for furbabies (cats & dogs specifically) include: treats, dry food, wet food, blankets, toys.

All of our donations will be distributed within our own community! This year, we will be donating to the following recipients:

❤️ Big Brothers, Big Sister’s Orillia & District
🔗 https://orillia.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca/ ⭐️

❤️ The Child Advocacy Centre of Simcoe/Muskoka
🔗 https://cyacsimcoemuskoka.ca/ ⭐️

❤️ The Green Haven Shelter
🔗 https://greenhavenshelter.com/ ⭐️

❤️ The Children’s Aid Society
🔗 http://familyconnexions.ca/ ⭐️

❤️ The Salvation Army
🔗 https://salvationarmyorillia.ca ⭐️

We are an innovative partner, mobilized to share hope wherever there is hardship, building communities that are just and know the love of Jesus.

12/22/2024

I want to thank the following Angels on Earth for making this years 16th Annual "Let's Make A Kid Smile" Christmas Toy Drive a HUGE SUCCESS!!!!! One of our best to date! Phenomenal support from our community, my friends, family & my business associates. Although this has been a tough year for many Orillians, the heart of giving, continues to beat strong!!! So thank you to everyone who selflessly donated to my cause and thank you to my fellow business friends for volunteering their time, energy, effort & business locations as drop off locations for this years donations!! You are the army that is needed to fulfill my mission year after year - which is the mission of making Christmas Day magical for the vulnerable children in our community. And a big thank you to Derick Lehmann for donating $2500 in gift cards and a plethora of gifts as a result of his fundraising through his Big Events platform. It is with the help of all of you and to everyone who donated in the community, that we will be successful in putting the smile on a child’s face this Christmas . The magic of Christmas lives forever in the hearts and souls of children —

So my biggest heartfelt appreciation to the following, with my love…

Raffaella 🤶🏼

Michelle Hudson Hairstylist

RE/MAX Right Move Orillia

The Coffee & More Store

Tops in Pizza

Moose Lodge 1217 Orillia

Lawyer Orillia

Anytime Fitness Orillia

Era 67

Bird House Nature Company

The Candy Shoppe (Orillia)

The Big Event

Sunshine Carpet & Flooring

Studio 11 Orillia

Montana's BBQ

Kelseys Original Roadhouse Orillia

East Side Mario's

Lot 88 Kitchen & Bar Orillia

Co-operators - Shaw Insurance/Financial Services Inc

McDougall Insurance & Financial

Northern Performance Windows and Doors

Tapps Performing Arts

Wimpy's diner West Ridge

12/04/2024

Hey!!! What are you up to this Saturday? Nothing? Okay cool - well, find an ugly sweater, throw it on, call/text some buddies, get them to do the same…then head over to ODAS Park for a good night out! $20 per ticket! Cash bar! Money raised will be supporting the wishes of the vulnerable kids and teens in our community through our local 16th Annual "Let's Make A Kid Smile" Christmas Toy Drive Thanks Derick Lehmann!!

If you care to donate to our cause by donating a new, unwrapped toy or gift card - I have 24 drop off locations in our area who would be happy to accept your kindness! Please see below!! 🥰

11/24/2024

🤶🏼 Hey Friends!! If you would like to donate to this year’s toy drive - and would like to take the guess work out of what to donate, please take a look at our current Amazon wishlist!! You can shop at your convenience! Thank you for your ongoing kindness!! 🎄💫💌🎁🧸

11/23/2024

… and here we have the male set of wishlists! ✨💫

11/23/2024

🤶🏼 Hey Everyone!! This year we would LOVE to put more focus on the teenagers who need our help - although we will gladly accept any donations applicable to our toy drive. Your kindness over the last 16 years has been paramount in helping us achieve our goals…so, thank you!

📝 We understand that teenagers, respectfully, are a bit more challenging to purchase for, so we have received wishlists from some of this years recipients - in hopes of making your donation shopping easier! Attached are five wishlists, thusfar. These five lists are all female oriented (6 yrs to 17 yrs). The next post will include all male oriented wishlists (6 yrs - 17 yrs). Lastly - I will post a generalized gift idea wishlist for newborn to 5 yrs.

🔐 If you are donating gift cards this year, we kindly ask that you request to speak with management at the establishment in which you will be entrusting your donation with.

Thank you so very much!!

Raffaella ❤️

11/22/2024

Hey Everyone! We are proud to announce that this year, there will be 24 toy drive donation drop-off locations in Orillia and area to make things easier for those who are interested in donating!

This years donations will be collected, sorted and distributed to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orillia & District, Green Haven Shelter for Women, Child & Youth Advocacy Centre Simcoe/Muskoka, Orillia Youth Centre and The Salvation Army Orillia!

So without further ado - here are this years drop-off locations! Aka: Our Elves!! xo

tnt fine lingerie boutique

Kelseys Original Roadhouse Orillia

RE/MAX Right Move Orillia

Anytime Fitness Orillia

Michelle Hudson Hairstylist

The Coffee & More Store

Tapps Performing Arts

Awakenings Wellness Centre

Tops in Pizza

Moose Lodge 1217 Orillia

Lawyer Orillia

Bird House Nature Company

The Candy Shoppe (Orillia)

Sunshine Carpet & Flooring

Studio 11 Orillia

Kelseys Original Roadhouse Orillia

Montana's BBQ

East Side Mario's

Era 67

Grace Family Chiropractic - Dr. Tim Silvester & Dr. Peter Bassit

Lot 88 Kitchen & Bar Orillia

Co-operators - Shaw Insurance/Financial Services Inc

Wimpy's diner West Ridge

McDougall Insurance & Financial Orillia

11/11/2024

Heads up!! Our 16th Annual "Let's Make A Kid Smile" Christmas Toy Drive starts November 18th and runs thru December 18th - so if you are looking to donate this year, kindly consider ages 14-17. They seem to unintentionally get overlooked every year - however, I understand that it’s difficult to purchase for teens nowadays. Having said that - any new, unused, (unwrapped) donations will be graciously accepted!! Thank you! ❤️

12/20/2023

👼🎄
Anyone wishing to donate to Mariposa House Hospice 2023 Angel Tree? ❤️

I’m so happy to say with 2 days left we may just surpass our goal of $22,000.

The last day of the tree is Thursday December 21st at 5 pm at Mariposa Market and we will show the final amount raised then.
Everyone is welcome to join us for the closing of the 👼🎄
I want to say a “Huge Thank You” to Bob and Mary-Anne and your amazing Staff for continuing to be our long standing hosts ! ❤️❤️❤️