TSTC Holds Toy Drive for Valley AIDS Council

By Joann Deluna

ight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Dec. 23–HARLINGEN — Alicia Lugo, nursing instructor at Texas State Technical College, said she often gets calls from people she doesn’t know asking if she’s “the toy lady.”

And indeed she is.

For the past 16 years, through the Valley AIDS Council, Lugo has organized a toy drive for not only children infected with AIDS or HIV, but also for the siblings of the infected children.

“There’s so many wonderful causes to donate to, but this is something that has always been dear to me and close to my heart,” Lugo said.

This year with the help of the community, Lugo filled two trucks, two vans and two cars with presents. Each of the 196 children received at least two gifts, but some received more, she said.

Originally the effort began as an initiative to provide Easter baskets for infected children through the Valley Voice group, a former service and support group, Lugo said.

Lugo and the group collected 20 baskets that first year, and because of the drive’s success, the group then decided to collect Christmas presents for the children the same year.

“We had a party to invite the children and parents and we gave gifts only to the infected children,” she said. “But one child (who was not infected) mentioned he wished he could be sick so he could get a gift.”

From then on, Lugo said they began getting children “affected” by HIV and AIDS presents too.

After Valley Voices split up, Lugo said she’s continued the effort with the help of TSTC, the surgical section of Valley Baptist Medical Center, San Benito’s Dolly Vinsant Hospital, Harlingen’s Mount Calvary Christian Church and Harlingen High School students.

Because of funding, a party is not possible anymore and parents from Valley AIDS Council offices in Harlingen, Brownsville, McAllen and Corpus Christi can pick up the presents or have the council mail the gifts, council executive director Charles “Bob” Smith said.

“(Alicia Lugo) is our own little angel,” Smith said. “I think it’s wonderful and we couldn’t do it by ourselves.”

Lugo and Smith both agreed this year was the most successful year since past years.

“It looked like a toy store exploded in our building,” Smith said.

To donate to the Valley AIDS Council call 956-428-2653.

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Copyright (c) 2005, Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, Texas

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