Coffs Toy Library closing its doors

After servicing the Coffs Harbour area for more than 30 years, the Coffs Toy Library has decided to close its doors.

The not for-profit community organisation has exhausted its base of volunteers, memberships and grants which it had relied heavily on during its operation.

Coffs Toy Library Treasurer Beryl Sharp thanked ETC for their financial support through the ETC Community Support Fund.

“We really appreciate what ETC did. It helped us, the general public and the schools we serviced,” Ms Sharp said.

Enterprise & Training Company Limited (ETC) donated $1705.77 to the Coffs Toy Library last year to purchase School Play Group Integration Resources.

“Tyalla Public School contacted us seeking resources to use in their school preparation playgroups and this is where the ETC grant came into effect,” said Ms Sharp.

“Based on activities within these groups, the Toy Library provided toys from a variety of ethnic backgrounds for use in imaginative play, role playing and musical activities.

“By providing these culturally diverse resources children were able to integrate comfortably into their school environment.”

In addition to schools, local families, family day care centres and playgroups have all benefited from the toys and educational games lent out from the Toy Library.

“We will be closing down the very last Saturday of March,” said Ms Sharp.

“A garage sale will run on March 14 to sell as much of the stock as possible. If we make more money than to cover our rent and expense, we will be donating the money to other local community-based businesses that are not-for-profit like us.

“We’ll also be donating our musical instruments to Tyalla Public School.”

ETC Director Ian Preston said it had been a pleasure to be able to support the Coffs Toy Library.

“The ETC Community Support Fund is designed to help organisations improve the social and economic development of local communities,” Mr Preston said.

“Since 1989, ETC has placed over 54,500 Australians into jobs, trained more than 27,000 people, helped over 37,000 small businesses to start-up and grow, and contributed in excess of $25 million to the local communities in which we operate.”