Nina's employees Heather McShane and Lon Yerton shopping for toys with the funds raised at the dinner and a movie event hosted by Nina's Pizzeria and the Colonia Theater. The event raised around $8,000 worth of toys to donate to Toys for Tots. (Photo from the Nina's Pizzeria Facebook page)

NORWICH — Nina’s Pizzeria and the Colonia Theater partnered once again this year to raise money and toys for the Chenango County chapter of Toys for Tots. With help from several organizations and businesses, and the community at large, they were able to raise around $8,000 worth of toys to donate to the organization.

Area residents attended the Colonia Theater on December 7 to enjoy salad, spaghetti and meatballs, dinner bread, desserts, and drinks provided by Nina’s before watching “Elf” on the big screen.

Admission included a toy donation, and everything collected went to Toys for Tots. Chenango County Toys for Tots Organizer Terry Potter said all the collected toys in the area will directly benefit Chenango County children.

"All the toys we collect here in Chenango stay here and are distributed to families and children in need here, right here in our home base," he said.

The money raised by the dinner and a movie event was used to purchase more toys for the area Toys for Tots drive.

In addition to Nina’s Pizzeria and the Colonia Theater, several local organizations, businesses, and individuals pitched in to help support the cause.

NBT Bank provided sponsorship for the movie screening; Minty’s Candies and Treats provided a bus to hold the collected toys; Live Event NY provided a red carpet, photo backdrop, lights, and music for the event; desserts were donated by Deja Brew; Rich and Jeanne Maybe played Santa and Mrs. Claus this year; and Alysha Brooks created social media content for the event.

Several Nina’s employees and community members also volunteered at the event, including Gabe and Eva Blenis, Heather McShane, Samantha Binelli, Jim Lobdell, Alisha Mullins, Bella Diorio, and Tyler and Anett Slater, who dressed as characters from “Elf,” and Nina’s Server Lon Yerton, who organized the event.

Potter estimated close to 4,000 toys were donated to the Chenango County Toys for Tots this year, and approximately 1,000 Chenango County children have received toys through the organization.