Southwestern Saskatchewan residents have a chance over the next two days to make sure less fortunate children have gifts to open on Christmas this year.

The Salvation Army Swift Current, Canadian Tire, Country 94.1, Magic 97.1, and CKSW 570 have partnered together for a fifth consecutive year for Toys Days which begins this morning and wraps up tomorrow night.

The event, hosted at Canadian Tire runs both days from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m., was created to help the Salvation Army collect gifts from the public to ensure that all the toy requests they received could be met.

"People can come down and drop a toy in the bin so we can make sure every kid has a gift or two under the tree this holiday season," Bill Mailman, a Lieutenant with the Salvation Army Swift Current, said. 

The toys collected during the two-day event will help fill the toy room the Salvation Army is in the process of creating for registered parents to visit.

"Instead of us determining what they should get, they can come and choose toys themselves for their kids," he said. "It gives them a little bit of agency and dignity in that."

Mailman added popular toys that will go over great with kids are Paw Patrol, Lego, Barbie, Hot Wheels, and Pokémon.

"Also, things for teens, gift cards are always helpful for teens," he said. "Even gift cards to fast food restaurants, sometimes high school students just want to go have a lunch with their friends."

For more ideas on gifts, individuals can head over to the Swift Current Mall and check out the wish tree.

Click here for different ways to contribute to Toys Days.

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