Times Observer photo by Josh Cotton Warren County School District board members, staff and Toy Shoppe volunteers check out some of the wooden toys, like the toys the Toy Shoppe has provided to all kindergarten classes in the WCSD.

The Toy Shoppe has provided hand-made, wooden toys to all kindergarten classrooms in the Warren County School District.

First grade classes are up next.

The WCSD board took some time out of its meeting Monday to thank those volunteers.

The Toy Shoppe, celebrating 25 years this year, was founded as a way to provide activity and socialization for retired people in Warren County.

Their work has blessed thousands of children in the area.

Lynn Shultz, the district’s director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment, said she’s been “absolutely amazed by the craftsmanship that these folks put into hand-crafted wooden toys” as well as the “number of different organizations they serve.”

Shultz said that the Toy Shoppe provided 45 toys or sets of toys for each kindergarten classroom and is “doing the same for first grade classes for this coming school year.

“(We) are absolutely appreciative of their hard work in making these toys for children to play with during the school day,” Shultz said.

The district presented both a certificate of appreciation to Toy Shoppe volunteers but also thank you cards from some of the kindergarten students.

Dee Dee Tucker said the Toy Shoppe currently serves 30 agencies and identified some – Human Services, Don Mills, Head Start – that also serve district students.

She said that kindergarten and first grade were the focus for this project because “they are the kids that can’t occupy themselves 100 percent of the time during recess time.

“We try to correlate the toys to the school,” she added.

Tucker told the board that she would like to see Warren County Career Center students get visit the workshop to “mentor with the old guys and see that this is a lifelong thing.”

Superintendent Gary Weber highlighted “the learning aspect of the toys” as well as “some of the things you’ve made that inspire the kids.”