Last year, the Pennsylvania State Police at Mercer's annual toy drive yielded more than 600 toys for needy children.

The year before that, about 400 toys were collected.

But this year is shaping up to be the most dismal to date, with only 75 toys donated as of Monday afternoon.

"It's not doing very good this year," said Jeffrey Albaugh, a dispatcher and coordinator of the annual toy drive, who started the program while he was stationed in Butler County and brought it to Mercer County after being transferred.

Albaugh used it as his way of helping children to enjoy what he'd experienced when he was young.

"It's a nice thing to do," he said. "I always had a nice Christmas growing up."

During the drive, the public is urged to donate new, unwrapped and unopened toys that will be given to needy Mercer County families so that their children can have something to enjoy on Christmas morning.

The Mercer County Children's Aid Society helps to distribute the toys, Albaugh said; the donated items should be unwrapped for safety reasons and so parents can pick out the gifts they feel their children will most want.

He said all toys will be accepted. Toys for boys and girls of all ages and sizes are fine "as long as it's for a kid to enjoy."

Toys don't have to cost much either, he added, because toys costing a dollar on up to several hundred dollars will be appreciated.

Though this year's count is a little low, Albaugh said he's hopeful toys will pour in during the last few days of the drive, as was the case in past years.

"Bring in your new toys because if 100 kids can get toys, it's definitely worth it," he said.

There are eight days left in the drive, which runs through Dec. 10.

Donations can be dropped off at the Mercer barracks, 826 Franklin Road, Jackson Township. Direct questions to the barracks at 724-662-6162.