By Patricia A. Scheyer
NKyTribune reporter
The Great Depression was a serious time in history when people did what they could to survive. The entire country suffered under a cloud of despair and people struggled to get what they needed to live.
In Covington, Rose and George Steinford saw people suffering, and children unable to enjoy Christmas. George would deliver ice in the city and not only did he see children in need, but once in a while, he would see a toy someone had put in the garbage, and he would take that toy to his garage and fix it so he could give that toy to a child.
Both George and Rose saw a need, and they tried to fill it, by purchasing toys, repairing older toys and then giving those toys to children who wouldn’t otherwise have any.
Their reward? The looks on the faces of the children, and the happy cries as they played with toys they never expected to have.
Rose and George started the Steinford Toy Foundation, and it has exists today, still housed in a century-old building in Covington. The garage that was George’s workshop is still in use today to hold the toys until they are distributed.
Rose passed in 1973, and George in 1980, but their legacy lives on, under new leadership, with the same mission.
“We are just about ready to distribute the toys that we have collected,” said Brian Cobb, treasurer of the organization. “This year we will be giving toys to 3300 children.”
He said the number of children is down this year, because the City Heights housing with the Covington Housing Authority was broken up and families were placed elsewhere, so Cobb wasn’t sure all the families signed up with a new address.
But there are still a lot of families that need a hand at Christmas, and the Steinford Toy Foundation is up to the challenge. Through the year the organization has gathered enough toys to give each child at least three toys.
“We have families in six counties, the three up here, Boone, Kenton and Campbell, as well as Grant, Gallatin, and Pendleton,” Cobb said. “We have some organizations, and a church in Grant County where we deliver some of the gifts, and the rest we deliver directly to the houses and apartments. The presents are in a box and the names are on the outside of the box.”
The Steinford Toy Foundation is a 501c3 organization. One of their fundraisers each year is the Annual Golf Outing, which is in its 30th year. There is also a special game at the Florence Y’all’s every year in July. At the beginning of the holiday season, there used to be a special Toy Event Charity Ball, but after the pandemic, organizers decided to hold the ball in February.
“At first we were only holding it in February as a temporary measure, but it is doing so much better with a Christmas in February theme,” said Cobb. “People’s schedules are much less hectic after Christmas, so we will probably keep the ball in February. It is our largest fundraiser.”
In addition to these events, the Rotary Club does toy drives every year, and the Rotary club members place barrels at different businesses so that customers can donate new toys. This is an all volunteer effort, a herculean effort to provide Christmas for needy children.
With this help, the foundation is able to provide 3300 to 3600 children with gifts each year.
Tom Wiechman, who was president of the organization for 20 years, now a past president, still works with vendors all over the country to purchase toys, and Cobb said he really has a handle on the popular toys, as well as those that are tried and true. The organization spends $40,000 to $50,000 on toys.
“We have several age categories for the children,” said Cobb. “It starts with infants, then 2 to 3, 4 to 6, 7 to 10, 11 to 14, and 15 and up.
While the toy drive is about to wrap up this year, families can sign up for next year, and the website has all the details, plus an address if someone wants to write a letter to them.
Cobb has helped deliver toys for the last ten years, and he said there is nothing like it.
“It is very rewarding, personally,” he said. “Seeing the expressions on their faces, they are so thankful.”
The organization has perpetuated the goal that George and Rose kept in their minds, that “the Christmas spirit will fill a child’s heart in time of need.”
Each of the many members of the organization strongly believe in Steinford’s ability to bring joy to families, and believe in the motto, that “if your generosity touches one child whose generosity later touches another then it’s all worthwhile.”