AMHERST — For Jesse Turcotte, donating to the Sidney F. Smith Toy Fund when he was growing up was a part of the holiday season.
The 32-year-old Amherst native now lives in San Francisco. At Thanksgiving this year, he reminded his mother, Jane Laskey, about the old tradition.
Turcotte, an only child, would donate part of his allowance, and his mom would chip in twice that amount every year. They donated from when Turcotte was about 8 up until high school, he said.
Laskey didn’t realize he had remembered.
“He has that as one of his fondest childhood memories of Christmas,” Laskey said. “I was touched he remembered.”
Turcotte’s memory inspired his mother to donate once again this Christmas.
“I was proud of him,” Laskey said.
The Daily Hampshire Gazette’s Sidney F. Smith Toy Fund provides certificates redeemable at participating local retailers to eligible families who can use them for holiday gifts at participating stores through Dec. 29.
Laskey, 67, said her son turned out to be a great leader and a kind person. She said she and her husband Charlie Turcotte, 68, had wanted to have more children, but never did.
“And so we thought better quality than quantity,” Laskey said. “If we were going to have one son we couldn’t of asked for any better.”
These days, Turcotte works in San Francisco’s booming tech industry and is engaged to Erin Scheuer. The couple plans to get married this summer.
He said he’s volunteered and donated some in the recent past. But reminding his mom about the old tradition, her reaction, subsequent donation and, now, an article in the local newspaper has reignited a desire to be more charitable.
“It makes me want to do more,” he said.
That’s why he donated to the Toy Fund again this year, too.
Named after a former business manager at the Gazette, the fund began in 1933 to help families in need during the Depression. Today, the fund distributes vouchers to families for each child from age 1 to 14. Eligible families must live in any Hampshire County community except Ware, or in the southern Franklin County towns of Deerfield, Sunderland, Whately, Shutesbury and Leverett.
Berkshire Children and Families at 220 Russell St., Hadley, verifies families’ eligibility and the Gazette covers costs associated with the drive, freeing all donations to fund the vouchers. Most families who receive assistance are referred by social service agencies.
Donations to the Toy Fund may be dropped off at or mailed to the Daily Hampshire Gazette at 115 Conz St. in Northampton, 01060, the Gazette bureau at 100 University Drive, Amherst, or made through Gazettenet at www.gazettenet.com.
Checks should be made payable to the Sidney F. Smith Toy Fund.
The following stores are participating this year: A2Z Science and Learning Store, 57 King St., Northampton; Deals & Steals, 76 Pleasant St., Northampton; Faces, 175 Main St., Northampton; F.J. Rogers, 3 Main St., Florence; JCPenney, 341 Russell St., Hadley and Holyoke; The Toy Box, 201 N. Pleasant St., Amherst; Wilson’s Dept. Store, 258 Main St., Greenfield; and TARGET Store 367 Russell St. Hadley.