Four years ago, Dana Blankenship took her daughter Jessica to hand out toys to disadvantaged children at Mac’s Toy Fund. Every year since, Jessica has begged her mother to take her back.

“It’s moving — you feel very good helping people who don’t get a lot of toys for Christmas,” Jessica said.

Now in middle school, Jessica and several of her fellow cheerleaders bear a special affection toward the toy fund and make it a holiday legacy of volunteering each year.

Two years ago, the cheerleaders (then in elementary school) held a fundraiser where they raised $300. Dana took the girls to Wal-Mart to pick out new toys with the money they raised and donated all the toys to Mac’s.

“It kind of became a cheerleader thing,” Dana said of how the girls became more involved with the event each year.

“I think that they see that they’re very fortunate, and they see other kids that aren’t.”

Dana, who says no one is more giving than children, finds it touching that some kids have a list of, “I want this and this and this ...,” and then there are these kids who are so happy over a single used toy.

For the second year, the varsity and junior varsity cheerleading squads at Shady Spring Middle and High schools are holding a new and used coat drive for the event.

“Seeing a child without toys is sad, but seeing them without a coat is even sadder,” Dana said.

“I think it’s sad that there’s some kids whose parents aren’t fortunate enough to buy them stuff for Christmas — and they don’t get to have a Christmas,” eighth-grade cheerleader Callie Cook said.

“We want the community to know that we want to help the needy.”

The cheerleaders decorated signs and wrapped cardboard boxes in festive holiday wrapping paper to promote the event.

This year, Shady Spring Middle cheerleading coach Lori Redden even made her girls become more involved by asking them to volunteer to place the boxes at various locations, where they will go back weekly to collect coats.

“This is a good experience for these girls to have. I think it’s important for them to give back,” Redden said.

“It helps them realize how fortunate they really are. You’d be surprised at the need right here in our very own community and schools.”

The cheerleaders are accepting new and used coats, hats, gloves and scarves at Kroger at Beaver, Harper Road and Beckley Crossing, CVS Beaver, Chick-fil-A at Galleria, Chateau Interiors in Beckley, Big Lots in Daniels and all schools in Shady Spring.

Dana says all donations are welcome, and there is a special need for coats and winter accessories for babies, infants and small children.

If you would like to donate a box to be used for the coat drive, or to make a large coat and/or toy donation, call Dana Blankenship at 304-575-8067 or 304-256-7500.

The varsity and junior varsity cheerleaders will be accepting coats through Dec. 18. The coats will be dispersed to underprivileged children in attendance at the Mac’s Toy Fund party Dec. 20 at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center.

— E-mail: jayres@register-herald.com