Local Recycled Percussion toy and clothing drive announces dropoff locations

LACONIA — Local organizers of the Recycled Percussion toy and clothing drive have announced the drop-off locations for this year’s event.

Between now and Dec. 20, new toys and new children’s clothing are being collected at the Laconia Police Station, Kellerhaus and Vista Foods in Laconia, Lakeside Dining, the Gilford Country Store, and Franklin Savings Bank in Gilford, the Merrimack County Sheriff’s Department in Boscawen, and El Rodeo in Concord. Following Pub Mania, Patrick’s Pub of Gilford will become another drop-off location on Dec. 8.

Jean Biltmore said that last year’s drive provided toys and clothing to 5,000 families around the state.

Biltmore said she got involved three years ago after her son, Tim, persuaded her to attend a Recycled Percussion performance at Home Depot in Manchester. After meeting founders Justin Spencer and Ryan Vezino, who have made it their mission to advocate for the disadvantaged throughout the world, Biltmore became Facebook friends with the group. When she learned of the toy drive, Biltmore said she, her son, and her sister, Diane Godbout, decided to sign on to the effort.

“It’s been three years,” she said, “and it’s gotten stronger every year.”

The toy and clothing collection will go to a regional collection site in Manchester (other locations are Concord, Rochester, and Keene), for distribution to those in need throughout New Hampshire.

Recycled Percussion, which got its start in Goffstown, now makes Las Vegas its home, but the band members do a holiday tour through New England which will include a stop at the Flying Monkey Performance Center in Plymouth in January.

This fall, the group did a fundraiser for a woman in Maine who was living in a shed with her four dogs. Recycled Percussion posted the results on its Facebook page:

“Our goal was to just bring her some love and see how we could make her life better. Well because of YOU fans that donated money and a lot of hard work today from our team, we are so happy to say, we were able to get Suzanne into a 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house starting tomorrow!, and gave her gift cards to help with food and other needs, and also locals here in Maine donating furniture, beds, and things for the dogs! All of this at NO cost to her so she can get back on her feet and live life without the burden of taking a bath inside a bucket in the corner of a shed.”