By Emma Barrett
emma@newsroom.byu.edu
Homeless children in Salt Lake City will be enjoying Christmas more this year because of the generosity of two Orem children.
Holly Weiss, 8, and her sister Sierra Weiss, 6, have collected $1,352.16 and over 100 new toys so far.
Their mother, Mary Lou Weiss, said the collection idea started when she and her husband asked Holly and Sierra to gather some of their toys so the family could donate them to needy children for Christmas.
Sierra came downstairs with her piggy bank, which held $27, and said she wanted to buy new toys for the children, Mary Lou Weiss said. Holly also donated her savings to buy new toys.
Although their parents promised to donate money to buy more toys, Holly and Sierra did not feel this amount was enough, Mary Lou Weiss said.
She said they asked her if they could make a brochure and go door-to-door in the neighborhood collecting donations.
The first day, the two girls came back with $280 and 10 names of people who had promised to buy a new toy to donate, Mary Lou Weiss said.
'They got excited about it, and they decided to keep going,' she said.
Mary Lou Weiss said people were generous. One 8-year-old boy gave them almost $5 out of his own piggy bank to help buy toys.
'I was so touched,' she said.
Mary Lou Weiss said the girls went to the toy store with her to start buying some toys with the money they had raised.
'Spending that much money on toys isn't easy,' she said. 'It was four or five pickup truck loads.'
Jeanette Guymon, manager of the K. B. Toys where the Weiss's went to shop, said the opportunity to help them was an uplifting one.
'It was just so cute,' she said. 'We don't get something like this very often.'
Even though Holly and Sierra have spent hours in toy stores this holiday season, they do not have any personal Christmas wishes.
'We've spent hours in toy stores and not once has either of them said I want one of these,' Mary Lou Weiss said.
She said Holly and Sierra just want the children at a shelter in Salt Lake City where the toys will go to have a great Christmas. The shelter is expecting approximately 80 children for Christmas.
People who want to help buy toys for homeless children can contribute money to the Holly and Sierra Homeless Shelter Fund at any Utah Community Credit Union branch.
People can also donate new toys at Candy Cane Corner, which is inside the Jubilee Center at 309 E. 100 South in Salt Lake City. The Candy Cane Corner is open from 12-5 p.m. on weekends and 1-9 p.m. on weekdays.