Local gun shop collects over 700 toys for CHP’s CHiPs for Kids drive

Guns of Distinction in Palm Desert teamed up with the California Highway Patrol to collect hundreds of toys for children in the Coachella Valley.

CHP Officer Jackie Quintero said the store's manager called the department to let them know that customers had donated over 700 toys.

Storm Jenkins, the owner of Guns of Distinction, said he simply put out an email to his clients and customers asking if they could drop off toys. He said he expected to only fill up one box but they exceeded expectations.

"I expected we might fill one box of toys, we ended up, as you can see, with something like 700 and we're not even done yet," Jenkins said. "The response and the support from the CHP to get this done has been terrific."

CHP officers Quintanero and Guadalupe Villalobos stopped by Guns of Distinction on Wednesday to collect the toys and bring them back to the Indio station before distributing them out to local children in need.

CHP is still collecting toys for the valley's children, all of their donation centers are still open.

"From everyone at the California Highway Patrol Indio area, we just want to let the community know how thankful we are that they are continuing to donate to our community members who are in need this season," Quintero said. "We can't encourage anyone to leave their houses, but if they do happen to stop by and get a toy there are many locations that are still open for accepting toy donations."

Anyone wishing to donate a new, unwrapped toy can do so at any Walgreens in the Coachella Valley, Mathis Brothers on Highway 111 in Indio, or the Indio CHP Office on Varner Road near the Jefferson Street I-10 exit.