Photo by Gage Vota Discovery Toys and Belmont County Children Services prepare to give Easter baskets to children in Children Services’ custody.

MARTINS FERRY — It’s that time of year again: the Discovery Toys Easter basket program is hopping along.

Discovery Toys consultant Pat Marcum said she retired in 2013 and later discovered Discovery Toys, which she believes is a great organization.

“It’s a wonderful company that sells very high-quality, developmentally appropriate toys,” she said. “Discovery Toys has a program in which consultants in the United States and Canada provide Easter baskets to needy children in their areas.”

Discovery Toys has been a home-based organization since 1978, providing high-quality, developmentally appropriate toys for children from birth through the teenage years.

Marcum said she selects a local organization to support and chose Children’s Services.

“I started with Monroe County and was able to include Belmont County, and now Noble County,” Marcum said. “We provide baskets to children identified by social services. This is my ninth year with Belmont County, and we have 138 baskets this year, with 57 going to Belmont County.”

Belmont County Children Services Administrator Christine Parker said the baskets will go to children in the agency’s custody, including those in foster homes, with relatives and in treatment facilities.

“Every child receives a basket. If there’s more than one child in a home, Pat makes sure each basket has different items so there’s no duplication,” Parker said. “It’s very helpful for our foster parents and relatives to have that extra help at Easter. They don’t have to worry about going out and buying a basket, and the baskets are just so nice. They’re filled with educational toys and things kids really like.”

Parker said Marcum contacted her several years ago to ask whether she would be interested in providing Easter baskets for children in the agency’s custody.

Marcum said she believes the program is important because most donations are made during the Christmas season.

“I think a lot of people donate at Christmas time — that’s when they make the majority of their donations,” Marcum said. “Easter may be overlooked, so this is something for another special time of year. It gives me a lot of joy, and there are so many people who sponsor the baskets and help out.”

She added that funding for the baskets is made possible through community support.

“I posted on my personal Facebook page that it’s time for Easter baskets, and within a week, everything was donated,” Marcum said. “It’s just my personal page, but I made it public this year, and some people I didn’t know donated.”

She said she is incredibly grateful to everyone who contributes each year.

Each basket costs about $30, bringing the total cost of this year’s initiative to more than $4,000.

“We’re very appreciative of Pat and her kindness and compassion,” Parker said. “Thank you to her family and everyone who donates. It’s a really nice program.”