It's a labor of love distributing the toys and bikes for the Christmas Playpen project.

Crews began delivering mended and cleaned items Thursday, just in time for the Salvation Army's Joy Store.

Multiple legs make the project a success.

Gently used toys were collected from early November through Monday at a designated lot at the South location of Dan's Supermarket.

The multiple bikes, toys and dolls had all been cleaned and repaired by inmates at the Missouri River Correctional Center in Bismarck or the Dakota Women's Correctional Rehabilitational Center in New England.

New toys and well-operating electronic gizmos were accepted at the Salvation Army for the 20th annual project.

At the receiving end, volunteers from the Salvation Army began sorting them this week, according to age and size.

Financially strapped families can then shop in the holiday atmosphere this week and next to meet the children's wish lists.

"It's really busy here," said Helen Wynstryg, case manager for the Bismarck Salvation Army, who has the task of pulling the Joy Store together. "We've already got 400 families signed up. It will help some 940 children. Their (paperwork) is not all in yet."

Truckloads are arriving with masses of bikes and toys for the children.

"We started taking the stuff down (Thursday)," said Keith Grabowski, director of the Missouri River Correctional Center. "We've taken down some 100 bikes and we have between 200 and 300 more to go. … We've brought in our first truckload and we have between two and 21/2 loads to go."

Grabowski said Bismarck-Mandan residents were plenty generous in providing useful toys this year that the inmates could prepare.

"It seems like there was more than enough to do," he said.

Organizers said it appears the number of children helped this season will exceed the 2007 figure, where more than 900 were assisted.

Also credited for being partners in the project are Dan's Supermarket for providing lot space, Garbage Plus for collecting materials not acceptable and Go Mini for the storage space. The Bismarck Tribune collected funds for repair materials and new gift items needed to fulfill the Christmas wish lists.

Wynstryg said new gifts identified with various giving trees around town can still be dropped off until Monday morning.