WAYNE AND PIKE COUNTIES — The Zipper Junction’s annual holiday toy drive is back.

The drive has again partnered with Wayne County Ford and Bold Gold Media’s Holiday Toy Drive Challenge, and with the Wallenpaupack Area School District.

The toy drive is supported by county officials, businesses and other school districts and toy drives. 

Monetary donations are greatly needed, said Jim Zumpone, Zipper Junction Project founder. 

The project hopes to again partner with individuals and businesses who will host their own events that will help generate toy and monetary donations. Groups can offer free entry to an event in exchange for a toy; toys could be collected at birthday parties or family events; Stuff a Truck, Tractor, Jeep, or Train events could be held; donations could be collected at Pictures with Santa events; or a single or multi-business toy collection events could be held. 

Donations will also be accepted at train stations during the Stourbridge Line Santa Express excursions.

Toy request applications can be submitted online through Tuesday, October 31.

Anyone interested in making a monetary donation, becoming a sponsor, or to be a toy drop-off site or event partner can visit www.zipperjunction.org Toy and gift donations can be made at drop-off sites through Saturday, November 25, when the boxes will be collected. Additionally, toy and gift donations can be made at Wayne County Ford in Honesdale during the holiday toy drive challenge, which runs from Wednesday, November 1 through December 6.

To learn more, visit www.ZipperJunction.org and click on the official logo of the truck carrying the bag of toys. 

The Zipper Junction Project is a local nonprofit organization made up of a group of individuals who, according to the website, are motivated by the common belief that they can do better as a community through hands-on experiences and project-based learning, the group stated. To learn more, visit www.ZipperJunction.org.