The walls are stacked with toys, but not in the same way that a toy store's walls are donned with shelf after shelf of pricey playthings. The games, teddy bears and comic books are not to be sold, but are to be given away in the true spirit of Christmas.

Each of these items have made it to the former Gateway Mall Prairie Peddler store as a result of kindness. Kindness that has prompted members of the Bismarck-Mandan community to donate either new toys or money to their neighbors in need.

The program is Toys for Tots, and their mission is to give hope to children at the most necessary time. They plant this seed of hope by making sure that each child has at least one gift underneath their Christmas tree. Eligibility for the program is not based on income, but rather on a completely referral basis. They look at current situations.

"You may not know where your next meal is coming from, but much less getting their child a gift," Michelle Tait, Toys for Tots coordinator, said about how the parents feel.

At 8 a.m. Dec. 19 the doors of the "toy store" will open. Parents who have received invitations will begin to show up. Once there, they will be led through the store by a personal shopper, and will be able to pick out one gift for each of their children, 17 years and younger. The gifts will then be wrapped.

The best thing about this day for Tait is hearing each family's story and seeing the looks on their faces.

"It is like they are the kid for the day, and they get to pick (the toys) out," Tait said about the parents' reactions. "It's a feel-good day, that's for sure.

Until the "payload" day, as Tait refers to it, the Toys for Tots volunteers will continue to gather as many donations as possible and line their shelves with them. Like Santa's elves, their job does not begin during the holiday season but is a year-round effort. They host toy drives throughout the year, and their last one for this year will begin at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Silver Dollar bar on Main Street in Mandan in conjunction with the Dakota Riders.

"We've had to do fund-raising throughout the year in order to help the 650 kids that we help each year," Tait said.

Recently, they had a bowling night where teams of five signed up for $125, and a night at the Carmike Theatre where each person that brought in a brand-new toy received a free movie pass. But they also have toy drives during the summer, including one at the annual Mandan Fourth of July parade. Many of the donations, however, come from various donation bins set up at locations like the Gateway Mall, Days Inn hotel, Big Lots and Yankee Candle. Donations can also be mailed to Tait at 4900 Jetty Beach Drive, Mandan, N.D. 58554.

"Toy boxes sitting around do quite well," Tait's grandfather and fellow volunteer Lyle Johnson said.

Toys for Tots did not begin in Bismarck but is a national U.S. Marine Corps effort. This is only the fifth year that Toys for Tots has been operating in the community. The national organization is another source for donations, and also provides for corporate sponsorship. Northwest Airlines is one of these sponsors and awards 500 airline miles for a $50 Toys for Tots donation.

Despite all the hard work that the Toys for Tots team does throughout the year, they retain their Christmas cheer. Tait said that it is the distribution day that makes it all worthwhile.

"The reason why I do it is, I like to help people that are in need," Tait's mother and another helpful set of hands, Cindy Johnson, said.

Toys for Tots will be accepting donations up until Dec. 18, but they also are in need of volunteers for their distribution day. Volunteers can reach Tait at 471-8986.

Anyone can refer a family in need to Toys for Tots by e-mailing them at toysfortots@bis.midco.net.

(Kay Kemmet can be reached at 250-8260 or at kay.kemmet@bismarcktribune.com.)