CANFIELD, Ohio - The Canfield Police Department is preparing for their upcoming annual Toy Drive to lend a helping hand to Akron Children's Hospital.

This year's drive on Thursday, July 24 from 4 - 8 p.m. marks the eighth year the CPD partners with the hospital to support their patients.

The community will be gathering on the Village Green across the street from the Farmer's National Bank where the CPD will be collecting toys for donation.

They plan to have plenty of acivities to keep the kids entertained with yard games, a bouncehouse and a visit from Santa Claus himself.

As a bonus participants can enjoy a free Dairy Queen ice cream.

"We are blessed to live in such a generous community," says Josh Wells, a CPD officer involved in the toy drive. 

The CPD and representatives from the hospital put together a list to give participants some ideas for donations which can be found here. But donations do not have to come from the list and can be of any kind of toy or children's item.