STAFF REPORTER
Hundreds of children, seniors and homeless people crowded into the British Methodist church yesterday at noon to enjoy a turkey dinner with their friends and families, thanks to Toronto police.
Samantha Sayers, 12, a cadet with the Toronto Signals Army Cadet Corps, was on hand to help serve food to the guests at the church on Eglinton Ave. and Dufferin St.
"All the kids are very excited. They're bugging me to ask, `When are we going to start?'" she said.
Over the din of children's voices, Toronto police Const. Ojo Tewogbade, of 13 Division, said Santa Claus was on his way to distribute gift boxes to about 350 children as part of the Toronto Police Service's 10th annual toy drive.
The Toronto Star Santa Claus Fund and numerous companies have donated the gifts.
"We don't have to do anything," Tewogbade said from the gym, where the children had assembled to wait for Santa's arrival. "The gifts are very useful things. ...
"Warm sweaters, mitts, gloves, scarves, hats.
"But they'll also get crayons, colouring books, jelly beans and all kinds of goodies."
The food is donated, and volunteers from the church and the community prepare the dinner.
Rap's Restaurant cooks the turkeys each year.
"Horace Rose, the owner of the restaurant, cooked ten 40-pound turkeys for us by himself. That's a lot since he has a business to prepare for, too," Tewogbade said.
Carving a turkey as she talked, Sgt. Janice Turza said attendance at the annual event has grown each year.
"We're always in the community," she said.
Police promote the event in the Eglinton area, distributing flyers at churches, businesses and nursing homes.
Following yesterday's dinner, volunteers took prepared meals to a First Nations women's shelter, a men's shelter and a home for youth.
A similar event is planned for next weekend at Westview Centennial Secondary School near Jane. St. and Sheppard Ave. W.
Veronica Falls brought her five children, ages 6 to 12, to yesterday's dinner.
"We appreciate what the community does for the kids," she said. "I'm very, very happy. The party is really for the kids, and they really enjoy it."
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