Step into the Christmas Toy Store at Reelfoot Rural Ministries in Obion, and you’re likely to hear conversations reminiscent of those heard in any retail store.

“Should I get the alarm clock or the hand warmers? The hand warmers will keep him warm while he waits for the bus, but the alarm clock will get him out of bed to catch the bus.”

After a thoughtful pause, the mother chooses the alarm clock.

For almost 50 years, Reelfoot Rural Ministries (RRM) has made Christmas brighter for tens of thousands of families in northwest Tennessee and southwest Kentucky through its Christmas Toy Store, two rooms stocked with toys, electronics, outdoor equipment and more provided by generous donations. RRM leaders and volunteers sum up the magic of the season in one word:

Faith.

“I’ve had a good lesson about faith,” said RRM Finance Director Donna Chism. “God has His hands in all this.” Throughout her 19-year tenure at the nonprofit, Chism admits there have been stressful days and sleepless nights wondering how the team would raise the money needed to stock the store.

Every year, it all comes together, with the Christmas Toy Store serving 656 children in 2024.

“That’s a miracle in itself,” said RRM Dental and ReelHOME Coordinator Brandy Rudd. Rudd, who has been with the organization for 12 years, has also benefited from the Christmas Toy Store when her husband unexpectedly gained full custody of his three children.

“I was worried,” Rudd recalled. “My kids thought it was the best Christmas ever.”

Planning for the best Christmas ever is a year-round process. Families submit applications for the Christmas Toy Store in November, paying a small fee of $5 per child. All programs at RRM are income-based except for its thrift shop. Federal guidelines are used to determine household income levels.

The shop is open four days in December. On days the shop is closed, RRM staff hit the stores to restock the shelves.

“We know the numbers,” Chism said. “We’ve got it down to a science.”

Families come at their assigned time and get 30 minutes per child to pick out their presents. Items are categorized by large, medium and small, with families choosing one of each for each child. There are stuffed animals for younger children, colognes for teenagers and art sets, headphones, fishing poles, bicycles and more for all ages.

When the store closes for the season, Chism moves any remaining funds into the next year’s budget. In July, the RRM team will look for deals and begin stocking the shop again.

In addition to donations, the Christmas Toy Store is dependent on volunteers, many of whom return each year.

“Reelfoot Rural Ministries has our heart,” said Kathy Craig. She and her sister Judy Holt have been helping families in the Christmas Toy Shop for six years. “We’re making people happy,” Holt said. “It’s just a blessing.”

Gene and Lyn Saltzman make the trek from Concordia, Kansas to Obion each year, staying on site at RRM from September to mid-February to help with a variety of tasks. During the holidays, Lyn helps families with their applications for the Christmas Toy Store, stocks the merchandise and registers families on shopping days. She is also heavily involved with the food pantry while Gene helps make pick-ups for the pantry and thrift store. The couple has also planted a garden to provide fresh produce for the food pantry.

“It’s fun here,” Gene said. “I like the people and the community.” Lyn added that RRM is “just like a family.”

“You won’t find a better team,” Chism agreed. “We love each other, and we love our community. We’re doing God’s work, and it’s such a blessing to do our part.”

RRM also has the ReelHOME program that helps older adults stay in their homes by making their houses safer, more accessible and more efficient, emergency relocation assistance for families displaced by fire, natural disasters or domestic violence, Backpack Buddies program for Lake County School District students, children’s school supplies, Lake County Imagination Library sponsorship and on-site dental and eye clinics for which leaders are actively looking for a dentist and optometrist to see clients.

For more information about Reelfoot Rural Ministries, visit reelfoot.org or call 731-538-9970.