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By JOYANNA LOVE/ Managing Editor

The Relay for Life Queens are observing Childhood Cancer Awareness Month by collecting Christmas gifts for Children’s of Alabama cancer patients.

The Queens will also decorate a Christmas tree that will be on display at the hospital in December. The hospital will have a display of several trees and a Children’s Christmas Ball to help patients celebrate the season.

Pageant coordinator Sunny Mays said the queens have chosen a princess theme for the tree and will be decorating it at the beginning of November.

“You are able to put gifts under the tree for the children there at the hospital, and we thought that would be a great thing to do,” Mays said.

Items must be new and unwrapped. Donations will be accepted at Encore Physical Therapy, 674 Ollie Ave. in Clanton.

Deadline to bring items is Oct. 8.

Items being accepted include toy cars and trucks, tea sets, tool kits, toy doctor kits, craft kits, dolls (no stuffed animals), board and card games, hats, winter hats and gloves, head scarf for teen girls, baby rattles, baby teethers, sensory toys for babies and toddlers, coloring and activity books, puzzles, crayons, ear buds, gift cards to Amazon, Walmart, Target of iTunes, Vtech learning toys, stress balls, storybooks, journals, devotionals, scent free lotion, good quality water bottles and Lego sets.

Nothing that has a strong smell can be accepted.

Mays also asked that nothing scary be donated.

She said the community “has always been so helpful” when the Relay Queens do a collection drive in September.

Miss Relay Ana Rodriquez is also coordinating with Chilton County High School SGA to collect items.

The Relay for Life pageant is a fundraiser of West End Baptist Church.