Donations Accepted Nov. 26 and 27

By Grace Allen

A Wrentham family is hosting a toy and children’s book swap on Saturday, November 30 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Fiske Public Library. This is the third year for the popular event, which encourages families to “shop” gently used donated items instead of buying new.

Alexander Cassie and his wife Krista Andberg have three children, and like a lot of parents found themselves drowning in the toys and books their kids outgrew. They decided to hold a toy and book swap as a way to tame the excess before the upcoming holiday season. 

“We wanted a way to shop better and be more mindful of waste and all the packaging that comes with new stuff,” said Cassie. “The idea was that people could drop off toys that are still in good shape, things that their kids don’t use anymore, or have aged out of, or lost interest in. And then they could shop other people’s things so all this cool stuff stays in the community.”

The swap works best if people donate things they’d want to get, he said.

“The first year was a little rocky,” said Cassie, laughing. “We got the doll with one eye and the bike with one wheel—stuff like that. But if you don’t want that stuff around, probably no one else wants it either. If you look at the toys you have and think, this is great and I wish we could share it with some kid, that’s the kind of stuff that works for a swap.”

Everything at the swap is free, and donating a toy or book isn’t required to take items home. Children are encouraged to shop, too, for their siblings and friends.

Cassie asks that donations for this year’s swap be dropped off at the Fiske Library’s Sweatt Room on Tuesday, November 26 from 4 to 8 p.m., or on Wednesday, November 27 from 10 a.m. to noon. Items should be in good condition, and please no bicycles or clothing. Shoppers are asked to bring their own bags on the day of the swap.

Any toys left at the end of the swap are donated to the St. Vincent De Paul Society. Leftover books are donated to the Friends of the Fiske Library for their book sales.

A self-proclaimed “big kid at heart,” the 40-year-old Cassie enjoys finding toys for his kids, ages 7, 9, and 11. The swap, he says, is a fun way to do that while being good for the planet and good for the pocket. 

“I’m always out there looking for cool toys and books for my kids, whether it’s stuff I played with as a kid myself or something that catches my eye that’s neat,” he said. “The fact that we can share all this stuff and memories with our neighbors and friends, and they can do the same, is pretty great, I think. And that’s part of what this is all about.”