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Ohio Oil and Gas Association plays Santa for local children

HO, HO, HO — Representatives of Ascent Resources hosted the ninth-annual Toys for Tots distribution Dec. 8 at Eastern Gateway Community College with hundreds of toys collected to help make Christmas a merrier time for local children in need. Embracing the holiday spirit were, front, from left, Amanda Finn, director, external affairs, Ascent Resources; Ty Youngman; Skylee Gravens; Julie McEndree; Angela Devanna; Deborah Oberlin, Toys for Tots local coordinator and her helper Tara Oberlin; and Corey McNutt; and back, Houston Dunlap; Brent Riggle; Jeff Beck; Greg Cutcheon; Kelly Cottle; and Ida Lewis. -- Janice Kiaski

STEUBENVILLE — Members of the Ohio Oil and Gas Association got to play Santa Claus and did so with great gusto and a “ho, ho, ho.” 

Every year the association partners with Toys for Tots by getting member companies to donate money in order to purchase toys for a five-county area that includes Jefferson, Carroll, Belmont, Columbiana and Monroe. 

On Dec. 8, it was Jefferson County’s turn for the distribution hosted by Ascent Resources and held at Eastern Gateway Community College in Steubenville. 

Each company hosts a county and volunteers at the distribution their day of the week, explained Amanda Finn, director, external affairs, Ascent Resources. 

Ascent Resources hosts Jefferson County, with toys made available to children of all ages. 

“Ascent purchases toys internally and asks that our vendors donate toys, which makes us the largest distribution site in the area,” Finn noted. 

“This year we serviced more than 700 children in Jefferson County. This is almost 200 more than usual,” she said. 

“Ascent is blessed to continue to be a partner of this Marine-based program and to be able to provide so many children with toys to make their holiday season,” Finn commented. 

This marks the ninth-annual Toys for Tots distribution drive hosted by members of the Ohio Oil and Gas Association. Aside from Ascent Resources in Jefferson County, EOG Resources hosted Carroll County’s distribution on Dec. 5; Gulfport Energy, Belmont County on Dec. 6; Pin Oak Energy, Columbiana County on Dec. 7; and Equnior and Southwestern Energy, Monroe County on Friday. 

Toys for Tots is celebrating its 75th anniversary, having begun in 1947 as the brainchild of Marine Corps Reserve Maj. Bill Hendricks, whose wife, Diane, is credited as the real inspiration. A promotional flier notes, “She had a few handcrafted dolls and asked Bill to deliver them to an agency that supports children in need. Walt Disney designed the first Toys for Tots poster which included a miniature three-car train that was subsequently adopted as the Toys for Tots logo.”

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